Comet ISON on approach to the Sun

[Grei]

Since the big news tomorrow, besides it being Thanksgiving and Hanukkah is that Comet ISON is making it's close approach to the Sun.

It's only going to be really visible from the various Sun watching satellites since the comet is too close to the Sun for us to see from Earth (at least safely).

So here's a few links for those, like me, who want to watch this.

SOHO

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/realtime-update.html  Static pictures posted nearly as fast as they come off the satellite.  Basically new photos every 15 minutes, give or take a half hour.  You can see ISON in the C3 camera at the time of this post.

http://sohodata.nascom.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/soho_movie_theater  You can set up a movie of the last X images.  Very nifty way of seeing how the comet is moving closer to the Sun.  At the time of this post, if you select LASCO C3 as the camera the last 80 images show the comet entering the frame and moving towards the Sun.

STEREO

Stereo is actually 2 satellites, one ahead of the Earth and one Behind.  They're a bit further than on opposite sides of the Sun currently but they give us a good view of what's out of the field of view of SOHO, SDO and the other satellites that watch near the Earth.

http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/beacon/  A collection of the latest images from both STEREO A and STEREO B. 

Both can see the comet though A has been watching it the longest as it approaches and B will have the best view when it leaves the Sun.  More details on what STEREO expects to see is here for those who like the nuts and bolts of how things work: http://stereo-ssc.nascom.nasa.gov/comet_ison/

SDO

Another source to watch is the Solar Dynamics Observatory.  They plan on pointing the satellite at the comet (normally it's focused only on the Sun) at various times during the comets approach to the Sun.  The data dump is expected to begin between 12:45pm and 1:00pm EST (9:45am and 10am PST).

http://cometison.gsfc.nasa.gov/

And I also believe NASA TV will be covering this, and I also heard of at least two different Google+ hangouts dedicated to watching this as well.  There's undoubtedly more places to watch and learn from than I've been following.

[Remi]

So here's a few links for those, like me, who want to watch this.

Mmm.. saved me the time to hunt down links, thanks.  

[Even if the sun wasn't an issue, Murphy picks on me when it comes to astronomy - every meteor shower or lunar eclipse or such is generally overcast.]


Eh, editing to share amusement, since was explaining the comet to jaise..

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/swift/bursts/ison.html
http://hubblesite.org/hubble_discoveries/comet_ison/blogs/measuring-the-size-of-ison-s-nucleus-pixelization
http://hubblesite.org/hubble_discoveries/comet_ison/blogs/measuring-the-size-of-ison-s-nucleus-point-spread-function

----


And for hilarity

What’s the deal?

Comet ISON is about to shimmy up to the Sun and see if it wants to be friends.

 
Does it?

No. The Sun is uncaring and emotionally closed off. Also, it is a giant non-sentient ball of burning hydrogen and helium. All its relationships end in tears and/or total annihilation.

Well, that sounds bad.

Yes. It’s going to be terrible. Pass the popcorn.

[Grei]

NASA TV is streaming the Google+ Hangout that NASA is running.  You could catch it directly on G+, but I've found that on these large events the connection is rather dodgy.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

And since the Bad Astronomer is on that Hangout, that's the one I'm going to watch (through NASA TV).  Glad that NASA got him involved since the last time I tried to watch NASA's coverage, it was rather dull compared to what was going on in the Hangout that Bad Astronomer and other space bloggers were holding.

And yes, the Sun does tend to be uncaring and forgetful of just how hot it is.

[Grei]

The Sun was a really big meanie this time, it would appear.  At this time, everyone's best guess is that the comet broke up before it got to where the SDO could see it.  A few more hours might show differently, but it isn't likely.

Still, even if it wasn't photogenic, there is a lot of good science coming out of this.

[Remi]

*mutter* any reason C2 is entirely redhued?  Just to differentiate from looking at C3? 
Found it rather unwatchable as kept seeing red circles flashing all over the screen (Optical illusion effect from the white circle in the center)


And nah, comet didn't break up, it just went back in time~

[Remi]

[Grei]

It's being called Schrodinger's Comet right now because no one can make up their mind whether it's alive or dead.

Latest picture from SOHO's C3 camera still shows a respectable comet.  Not as impressive as when it dove in, but there's a number of factors including it's location and angle that makes it harder to decide.
 

[Remi]

Also teribad forum post over there...

No, but in case it hits earth on the return journey, they're installing a slew of High Orbit Ballistic InTerceptors on the anti-comet platform they're building. That's right; they're taking the HOBITs to ISONGuard.

[Grei]

That is bad, Remi.

And the final verdict on the comet will be a while in coming.  The last pictures from SOHO before it went out of sight weren't promising--just a vague cloud and nothing that looked like a nucleus.  In a few weeks, Hubble will be able to look at it's remains though and see what there is to see.