Posted on 04/23/2013 6:37:51 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Here’s our first good look at Comet (C/2012 S1) ISON. The Hubble Space Telescope captured this shot on April 10, when the comet was slightly closer than Jupiter’s orbit at a distance of 634 million kilometers (394 million miles) from Earth. Later this year, this comet could become a brilliant object in the sky, perhaps 10 times brighter than Venus.
Astronomers say preliminary measurements from the Hubble images suggest that the nucleus of ISON is no larger than 4-6 km (3-4 miles) across.
The astronomers said this is remarkably small considering the high level of activity observed in the comet so far. Astronomers are using these images to measure the activity level of this comet and constrain the size of the nucleus, in order to predict the comet’s activity when it will come with 1.1 million km (700,000 miles) of the Sun on November 28, 2013.
(Excerpt) Read more at universetoday.com ...
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope provides a close-up look of Comet ISON (C/2012 S1), as photographed on April 10, when the comet was slightly closer than Jupiter’s orbit at a distance of 386 million miles from the sun. Credit:NASA, ESA, J.-Y. Li (Planetary Science Institute), and the Hubble Comet ISON Imaging Science Team.
I think I see Bruce Willis in there.
I think I see the planet from which it was exploded ...
Are they sure that’s a comet? It looks a lot like we’re stuck at the bottom of a well.
Thanks BenLurkin. This will probably be in an upcoming APoD anyway, so, preview for APoD members.
Considering how far away ISON is and how fast it is moving, I think getting this picture was quite an achievement.
Like your thinking!
PING!!!
In case you missed it.
Bottom of a well? Nah. I’m going to flatten myself against the tunnel wall and pray there’s enough clearance.
Videos about Comet ISON.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EpxmHdxEe8
Looks like Nov. 6th - 26th will be the best viewing dates before it goes around the opposite side of the Sun.
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