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Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)

Comet McNaught, 2007 —Discovered in August 2006 by astronomer Robert McNaught at Australia's Siding Spring Observatory, this comet evolved into a brilliant object as it swept past the sun on Jan. 12, 2007 at a distance of just 15.9 million miles (25.6 million km). According to reports received from a worldwide audience at the International Comet Quarterly, it appears that the comet reached peak brightness on Sunday, Jan. 14 at around 12 hours UT (7:00 a.m. EST, or 1200 GMT). At that time, the comet was shining at magnitude 5.1.

Some observers, such as Steve O'Meara, located at Volcano, Hawaii, observed McNaught in daylight and estimated a magnitude as high as -6, noting, "The comet appeared much brighter than Venus!"

After passing the sun, Comet McNaught developed a stupendously large, fan-shaped tail somewhat reminiscent of the Great Comet of 1744. Unfortunately for Northern Hemisphere observers, the best views of Comet McNaught were mainly from south of the equator.
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and this is what I saw on the edge of the Atlantic in Hermanus SA

I was simply astounded ....and three nights of it ....no picture can capture just how enormous that tail was....

800px-Comet_P1_McNaught02_-_23-01-07.jpg


wiki image

this is perhaps the closest to what I actually saw over the ocean ( wiki image )

1280px-Comet_McNaught_at_Paranal.jpg


so yeah - when it rounds the sun THEN you can be thrilled or disappointed.....McNaught was a once in a lifetime - right time and place - we were staying right on the water and just had to walk to the beach.
 
xtifr said:
Everything I've heard has said it should be brightest after perihelion, peaking in mid-late December (if it survives perihelion, of course). First heard that many months ago. Closest approach to Earth is Dec. 26.
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Well, here's hoping in that case.
 
Still haven't seen it - still overcast. Been like this for a week now :mad:

I'm keeping my eyes peeled on SOHO's LASCO cameras though for a hint.

Sprites, ELVES, blue jets/starters and other atmospheric lightning is very interesting too - is there any chance of seeing these phenomena from the ground?
 
I believe today was really the last day for naked-eye observation; by now, it is entering the region of the sky that brightens before sunrise, and has to compete with a high and extremely bright moon besides. However I suppose you can still try with binoculars; just be careful using optics within such proximity of the Sun!
 
keeping fingers crossed - have a good spot at my sailplane field that is really dark ( had a wonderful 60 meteors per minute plus a couple years back - best shower ever with lots of fireballs).
 
Checkmite said:
I believe today was really the last day for naked-eye observation; by now, it is entering the region of the sky that brightens before sunrise, and has to compete with a high and extremely bright moon besides. However I suppose you can still try with binoculars; just be careful using optics within such proximity of the Sun!
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Ah well, I'll have to wait for the December 1, then.
Tonight there's a cloudy sky.
All the best of luck for those with clear skies tonight!
 
I would really love to see the comet as it cometh in it's veil of greeny-blue glowing mantle (to be poetic and facetious at the same time ;)) but I'm not too comfortable with the fact that I'll be looking close to the sun with a binocular/telescope. It's inviting trouble and I'm not prepared to risk going blind to see a comet.

Incidentally, where I am Comet Encke is beneath Mercury and C/2012 ISON and at a right angle with Saturn. Mercury and Saturn will come into conjunction on the early morning of the 26th (more info here at Jodrell Bank.

It's still overcast here but it's stopped raining and blowing a gale.
 
Thanks for the link, tuxcat, and, yes, you're right, binocs and Sol don't mix!
 
tuxcat said:
I would really love to see the comet as it cometh in it's veil of greeny-blue glowing mantle (to be poetic and facetious at the same time ;)) but I'm not too comfortable with the fact that I'll be looking close to the sun with a binocular/telescope.
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I would imagine it'll be too faint to see colours with the naked eye, you'll only get them in time exposures.

On the couple of clear mornings here I haven't been able to spot anything over the pre dawn glow.
 
If I was superstitious I'd say that the comet brought with it high cloud cover in the locality in order to thwart attempts at seeing it firsthand and my prediction is that as soon as the comet is too faint to be seen the cloud will lift :boxedin:

Still wet and cloudy in Scotland :(

Lennart thanks for the link to STEREO. I'm still checking SOHO LASCO instruments daily. It shouldn't be that long - think it's about a week - until it starts to appear in it's FOV.
 
While we wait for the FOV, maybe it's time to make a list of music to listen to while observing the comet.
My first choice would be be


Dated, yes, but sometimes nostalgia rules.
What other candidates for a comet hunting dawn?
 
ISON is now around two days from its encounter with the Sun; however, there seems to be some bad news in the latest reports:

Comet ISON has been closely monitored at the IRAM millimeter telescope in
Spain by Israel Hermelo (IRAM Granada) and myself (Caltech/NRAO) for the
last 6 days. We observe consistent, rapid fading of the molecular emission
lines between Nov. 21 and Nov. 25 by at least a factor of 20 (likely
more). This may indicate that the nucleus is now at best marginally active
or that... it no longer exists.
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