UPDATE ON COMET ISON Observers around the world are reporting a sharp increase in the brightness of sundiving Comet ISON. Formerly dim, it is now on the threshold of naked-eye visibility. Comet ISON is plunging toward the sun for a perilous pass through the solar atmosphere on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 28th). This could be the first of many brightening events as intensifying solar heat erodes material away from the comets nucleus. Apparently, Comet ISON has surged in brightness by approximately 2 magnitudes in little more than 24 hours. If the trend continues, it could be a faint but easy naked-eye object by the end of the week. The sudden uptick in brightness could be caused by a fresh vein of ice opening up in the comets nucleus. Rapid vaporization of ice by solar heat is a sure-fire way to boost a comets visibility. But, as NASAs Comet ISON Observing Campaign states, we [really] have no idea. The comets nucleus is hidden from view by a hazy green atmosphere, so events in the interior remain a mystery.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 03:06:34 +0000
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