Tuesday 24 September 2013

Comet ISON

Scientists can't decide if it's going to be among the most spectacular astronomical events of the century or a disappointing dud but whatever happens, Comet ISON is on its way.
Presently passing Jupiter, the comet is on course to swing around the Sun in November and there is where the scientific community differ on what comes next.
If the comet survives it could emerge glowing as brightly as the Moon in our night sky during late December or, as others suspect, it could be pulled apart by the forces of our Star even before it makes it close to our neighbourhood. 
Don Yeomans of NASA Near-Earth Object Program is erring on the side of caution remembering the last time the promise of a comet so bright it could be seen during the day and how that particular dirty snowball, comet Kohoutek, failed to live up to it's promise and warning: 'Comets are notoriously unpredictable. Comet ISON has the potential to live up to the hype, but it also has the potential to do nothing'.
The closets point to Earth is pencilled in for December 26th but i would wait until closer to the time before planning Boxing Day Evening freezing in a field in case the Sun robs us of the astronomical wonder.

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