Comet ISON Approaches Perihelion

Credits

• Animator

  • Tom Bridgman (Global Science and Technology, Inc.) [Lead]

• Writer

  • Tony Phillips (Wyle Information Systems)

• Scientist

  • William D. Pesnell (NASA/GSFC)

• Producer

  • Scott Wiessinger (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)

Related Pages

• Related

  • 

    ID: 11434 Produced Video

    Comet ISON before and during Perihelion

    Dec. 10th, 2013
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    After a year of observations, scientists waited with bated breath on Nov. 28, 2013, as Comet ISON made its closest approach to the sun, known as perihelion. Would the comet disintegrate in the fierce heat and gravity of the sun? Or survive intact to appear as a bright comet in the pre-dawn sky? Some remnant of ISON did indeed make it around the sun, but it quickly dimmed and fizzled as seen with NASA's solar observatories. This does not mean scientists were disappointed, however. On Dec. 10, 2013, researchers presented science results from the comet's last days at the 2013 Fall American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco, Calif. They described how this unique comet lost mass in advance of reaching perihelion and most likely broke up during its closest approach, as well, as summarized what this means for determining what the comet was made of. The panel shared results from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and MESSENGER to present a picture of ISON's trip around the sun, which appears to have led to its demise. The panel also reported on why ISON was not seen in images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). ||

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  • 

    ID: 4098 Visualization

    Chasing Comet ISON

    Sept. 24th, 2013
    (updated Nov. 14th, 2023)

    Comet ISON approaches the inner solar system having just passed the orbit of Jupiter. It passes very close to Mars in early October 2013 before dipping below the ecliptic on its way towards perihelion on November 28, 2013. Comet ISON will make its closest pass to the Earth in January 2014 when it should be visible in the northern hemisphere.In these movies, the cameras chase the comet from two different points of view. ||

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  • 

    ID: 11222 Produced Video

    The Path of Comet ISON

    March 29th, 2013
    (updated Nov. 14th, 2023)

    Comet C/2012 S1, better known as comet ISON, may become a dazzling sight as it traverses the inner solar system in late 2013. During the weeks before its Nov. 28 close approach to the sun, the comet will be observable with small telescopes, and binoculars. Observatories around the world and in space will track the comet during its fiery trek around the sun. If ISON survives its searing solar passage, which seems likely but is not certain, the comet may be visible to the unaided eye in the pre-dawn sky during December.Watch the animations on this page to visualize ISON's voyage through the inner solar system, or build the paper model of its orbit to track the changing positions of Earth and the comet.Like all comets, ISON is a clump of frozen gases mixed with dust. Often described as "dirty snowballs," comets emit gas and dust whenever they venture near enough to the sun that the icy material transforms from a solid to gas, a process called sublimation. Jets powered by sublimating ice also release dust, which reflects sunlight and brightens the comet. On Nov. 28, ISON will make a sweltering passage around the sun. The comet will approach within about 730,000 miles (1.2 million km) of its visible surface, which classifies ISON as a sungrazing comet. In late November, its icy material will furiously sublimate and release torrents of dust as the surface erodes under the sun's fierce heat, all as sun-monitoring satellites look on. Around this time, the comet may become bright enough to glimpse just by holding up a hand to block the sun's glare.Sungrazing comets often shed large fragments or even completely disrupt following close encounters with the sun, but for ISON neither fate is a forgone conclusion.Following ISON's solar swingby, the comet will depart the sun and move toward Earth, appearing in morning twilight through December. The comet will swing past Earth on Dec. 26, approaching within 39.9 million miles (64.2 million km) or about 167 times farther than the moon.The comet was discovered on Sept 21, 2012, by Russian astronomers Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok using a telescope of the International Scientific Optical Network (ISON) located near Kislovodsk.Learn more about sungrazing comets. ||

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