The comet Ison, dubbed by the astronomers the “Comet of the Century”, will be observable in the northern hemisphere as it is getting closer to the Sun and promises a ‘once in a lifetime’ spectacle for skywatchers.
The comet Ison weighs more than 3 billion pounds and is directed towards the Sun at a speed of 377 kilometers per second. It is visible to the naked eye since the middle of November, and its sight will become more and more impressive as it is approaching the center of our solar system.
Its presence is expected to “brighten” the sky in December and early January, at the point when the comet will come close to the Sun and Earth, more specifically in the third of the distance of the Sun from us, when its temperature will reach to 2,760 degrees Celsius. Then, if the comet “survives”, we will see a bright body in the sky that will surpass in brightness even the moon, while if it does not withstand the high temperature, we will see… fireworks.
If the predictions prove correct, the galactic “spectacle” will be comparable to that of the “Great Comet” in 1680, which was visible even at daylight, something that people of that time thought it was… punishment from God. Astronomers, of course, assert that the Earth is not at any risk of the collision with the Ison.
Already the largest telescopes on the planet have turned to the comet, which can offer science valuable information on the origin of celestial bodies.
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