Vitali
Nevski and Artyom
Novichonok recently discovered a comet with a magnitude of 18.8. It
has been designated C/2012 S1 (ISON). At the current time ISON is
located beyond the orbit of Jupiter.
Around the end of November,
2013, ISON will travel within a distance of 1.8 million km (or
.012AU) from the solar surface. The solar heating could heat the
comet enough to make it visible to an Earthling's naked eye. ISON
will then loop back around, if the comet survives such a close
proximity orbit with the Sun without accelerating into the sun, and
travel by Mars in early October and then the Earth in late December.
 |
| Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok |
ISON
has been traveling for millions of years from the Oort Cloud to reach
Earth. The surface of the comet is very dark and should measure
kilometers across. By the summer of 2013 ISON should be visible in
the smaller of telescopes. As ISON travels past the Earth, the gas
and dust geysers will gather force, and the space surrounding the
comet will become brilliant as the Ice below the surface turns into
gas and erupts. This process will reflect the light of the Sun. By
late November, ISON will be visible to the naked eye just after dark
in the same direction in which the Sun is setting. ISON will then
make its inevitable return to orbit the Sun. ISON will orbit the Sun
at an estimated distance of 2 million km. At this point, ISON will be
viewable by the unaided eye for months. Eventually, ISON will orbit
more rapidly, possibly becoming very bright. Once ISON reaches this
point, it will become dangerous to view without the proper instrumentation.
Image Credit: http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com/2012/09/25/newly-discovered-comet-c2012-s1-ison-will-pass-extremely-close-sun-next-year/
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/brighter-than-a-full-moon-the-biggest-star-of-2013-could-be-ison--the-comet-of-the-century-8431443.html?action=gallery&ino=2
No comments:
Post a Comment