, ISON has been more lime-green because it doesnt seem to have as much carbon monoxide as other comets, Lisse said. If the comet does make it around the sun intact and returns past Earth, the Northern Hemisphere should get good naked-eye views just before sunrise and just after sunset in the first couple weeks of December, Lisse said. But this probably wont be as bright and visible as 1997s Comet Hale-Bopp, said Geoff Chester of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington. Over the last few weeks, the reports werent good for ISONs survival. On Monday, astronomers at Kitt Peak Observatory were a little bit worried and depressed because the comet produced a classic sign of flaming out, Lisse said from the Arizona telescope. Earlier, astronomers thought it may have broken up. Then on Tuesday, a solar telescope spotted the comet and it was growing brighter just as it should have. Its a wild ride, this comet, Lisse said. The reports of ISONs demise have been greatly exaggerated for the last month or two and ISON continues to surprise us. Online: NASAs Comet ISON page: nasa.gov/ison/
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 11:23:59 +0000
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