NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio released another excellent video of Comet ISON (C/2012 S1). It is expected to become one of the most dazzling skywatching event while making a passage around the Sun later this year. Based on comet’s orbit, astronomers belive the comet is travelling from Oort cloud, making its first visit to inner solar system. Comet ISON was discovered on September 21, 2012, by Russian astronomers Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok using a telescope of the International Scientific Optical Network located near Kislovodsk.
On October 1, 2013 comet passes about 10.8 million km (6.7 million miles) from Mars, and it may be observable to NASA and ESA spacecrafts at Mars. On November 28, 2013 Comet ISON will whip around the Sun. The comet will approach within about 1.2 million km (730,000 miles). Following ISON’s solar encounter, the comet will depart the sun and move toward Earth, appearing in evening twilight through December. At the closest point, sungrazing comet will pass near Earth within 64.2 million km(39.9 million miles ) on December 26, 2013.
To read the rest of this story, please visit The Watchers