Comet ISON: The Zombie Comet who Refuses to Die. Image Credit: NASA/SOHO It is now confirmed; the reports of ISON’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. It is still kicking, and it’s still very bright. We had a flurry of predictions yesterday regarding the fate of the famous comet. Initially, ISON disappeared completely from our field of view, leading many astronomers to speculate that the comet had completely disintegrated just before it’s rendezvous with the Sun. A faint trail of something had started to reemerge on the other side of the Sun. After further analysis, and the collection of more data, it looks like some part of ISON managed to survive. Elizabeth Howell with Universe Today, affectionately calls the comet “Zombie ISON,” a tradition I think we’ll continue. A NASA statement released earlier today stated, “late-night analysis from scientists with NASA’s Comet ISON Observing Campaign suggest that there is at least a small nucleus intact.”
Joshua Filmer. ISON swings by the Sun. ISON vs the Sun. Helioviewer.org - Solar and heliospheric image visualization tool. Schrödinger's Comet | Comet ISON Observing Campaign. I'll just say this upfront right now: whatever you read in the following blog post, please feel free to assume it is completely incorrect and the truth is actually quite contrary to what I'm saying. It has been - and continues to be - one of those days. So this will be a relatively brief blog post because we're up to our necks in media inquiries and attempting to do real science to figure out the mystery that is comet ISON, and Matthew and I are basically the only ones that have abandoned our loved ones on this US national Holiday and continued to work.
Here's what we know so far: After impressing us yesterday, comet ISON faded dramatically overnight, and left us with a comet with no apparent nucleus in the SOHO/LASCO C2 images. As the comet plunged through the solar atmosphere, and failed to put on a show in the SDO images, we understandably concluded that ISON had succumbed to its passage and died a fiery death. I think you get the picture, yes? 11 - ISON at 07:18, 29 November. [pioneer-astro] Actualité - Novembre 2013. 688aa6407f7055f530cc5b572a3fbc7c.jpg (812×562) #ISON transit. Rip_anim5.gif (512×512) BaMm8PDCMAAnJX7. Comet ISON Fizzles. CometISONnews : Latest #dustcloud image from... Comet ISON - Comet ISON Viewing. STEREO - Comet ISON Viewing.