Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня Активная комета ISON http://variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1295837/eng |
Credit & Copyright: Babak Tafreshi
(TWAN)
Explanation:
Falling through
planet Earth's
predawn skies toward its close encounter
with the Sun on November 28, Comet ISON is
coming to life.
The much anticipated comet
has now been reported to have
substantially increased in brightness, surging to naked-eye visibility
for dark sites and sprouting a
more
complex tail.
ISON's tail stretches over two degrees in this
telephoto skyview from southern Kenya, captured on the morning
of November 15.
Shown in two panels, the enlarged negative version on the right
makes details of the long tail easier to trace, including
the tail's separated
filaments toward the top of the frame.
A sungrazer and first time visitor to the inner solar system,
the possibility of ISON's survival
to become a bright comet in planet Earth's December skies
remains a question.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.