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A Unique Hubble View of Comet ISON
Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
In this Hubble Space Telescope composite image taken in April 2013, the sun-approaching Comet ISON floats against a seemingly infinite backdrop of numerous galaxies and a handful of foreground stars. The icy visitor, with its long gossamer tail, appears to be swimming like a tadpole through a deep pond of celestial wonders. In this composite image, background stars and galaxies were separately photographed in red and yellow-green light. Because the comet moved between exposures relative to the background objects, its appearance was blurred. The blurred comet photo was replaced with a single, black-and-white exposure. The images were taken with the Wide Field Camera 3 on April 30, 2013.
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Comet ISON on Sept. 15, 2013
Credit: P. Lawrence
UK astronomer Pete Lawrence took this image of Comet ISON in the early hours of Sept. 15, 2013, using a Vixen FL-102S 10 cm APO telescope and a Starlight Express SXV-H9 CCD camera. The camera was exposed for a total time of 40 minutes, comprising 10 x 120 s exposures and 4 x 300 s exposures, with the images stacked together to produce the final result. The streaks in the background are star trails, the apparent motion of stars in the night sky due to the rotation of Earth. North is in the direction of a line drawn from the comet's head towards the upper-left corner of the image.
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Hubble Photo of Comet ISON, Stars and Galaxies
Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
The sun-approaching Comet ISON floats against a seemingly infinite backdrop of numerous galaxies and a handful of foreground stars in this Hubble Space Telescope composite image, taken in April 2013. [
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Comet ISON Photos by Spitzer Space Telescope
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/JHUAPL/UCF
These images from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope of Comet ISON were taken on June 13, 2013, when ISON was 312 million miles (502 million kilometers) from the sun. The lefthand image shows a tail of fine rocky dust issuing from the comet, blown back by the pressure of sunlight. The image at right shows a neutral gas atmosphere surrounding ISON, likely created by carbon dioxide fizzing off the comet at a rate of 2.2 million pounds per day. [
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Comet ISON Photo by Hubble Space Telescope
Credit: NASA, ESA, J.-Y. Li (Planetary Science Institute), and the Hubble Comet ISON Imaging Science Team
This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of Comet ISON was taken on April 10, 2013, when the comet was slightly closer than Jupiter's orbit at a distance of 386 million miles from the sun (394 million miles from Earth). [
Full Story]
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Hubble Photo of Comet ISON
Credit: NASA, ESA, J.-Y. Li (Planetary Science Institute), and the Hubble Comet ISON Imaging Science Team
This contrast-enhanced, computer-processed image was produced from photos of Comet ISON taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope on April 10, 2013, when the comet was 386 million miles from the sun. [
Full Story]
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Hubble's Views of Comet ISON
Credit: NASA, ESA, and Z. Levay (STScI)
These images of Comet ISON were taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope on April 10, 2013, when the comet was 386 million miles from the sun. The image at right has been computer-processed to reveal the structure of ISON's inner coma. [
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Comet ISON Sky Map
Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Axel Mellinger
From now through October, comet ISON tracks through the constellations Gemini, Cancer and Leo as it falls toward the sun. Image released March 29, 2013.
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SWIFT Satellite Sees Comet ISON
Credit: NASA/Swift/D. Bodewits, UMCP
The Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope aboard NASA's Swift imaged comet ISON (center) on Jan. 30, when it was located about 3.3 degrees from the bright star Castor in the constellation Gemini. At the time of this 5.5-minute optical exposure, ISON was about 5,000 times fainter than the limit of human vision. Image released March 29, 2013.
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Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UMD (Tony Farnham)
The comet that may put on a spectacular light show during a November date with the Sun, was observed by the Deep Impact mission. The spacecraft has also had close fly-bys of comet's Tempel 1 and Hartley 2 and scientific observations of Garradd. [
Read the full story]
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Orbital Trajectory of Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
This is the orbital trajectory of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON). The comet is currently located just inside the orbit of Jupiter. In November 2013, ISON will pass less than 1.1 million miles (1.8 million kilometers) from the sun's surface. The fierce heating it experiences during this close approach to the sun could turn the comet into a bright naked-eye object. Image released Feb. 5, 2013. [
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Comet ISON in Telescope View
Credit: Science@NASA
This still from a NASA video identifies comet C/2012 S1 (ISON), better known as Comet ISON, in a telescope image.
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Comet ISON's Discoverers
Credit: Science@NASA/John Chumack
The discoverers of Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON), Vitaly Neski and Artyom Novichonok, are seen here inset against a photo of the comet by amateur astronomer John Chumack.
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Comet ISON Orbit 2013
Credit: Science@NASA
The orbit of Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON), better known as Comet ISON, is seen here in this still image from a NASA video. This image shows the location of Comet ISON in January 2013.
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Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) Sky Map
Credit: rnesto Guido, Giovanni Sostero & Nick Howes
This star map (calculated for latitude 46 deg. north, time about 45 minutes before sunrise) for Nov. 10, 2013 shows the comet position of Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON). Image released Sept. 24, 2012.
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Comet ISON: Dec. 11, 2013
Credit: Science@NASA
This still from a NASA video depicts the location of Comet ISON in the night sky on Dec. 11, 2013. The comet has the potential to be a dazzling object in the night sky.
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Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) False Color Image
Credit: Remanzacco Observatory/Ernesto Guido, Giovanni Sostero & Nick Howes
Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) photographed at the RAS Observatory near Mayhill, NM on Sept. 22, 2012, by amateur astronomers Ernesto Guido, Giovanni Sostero and Nick Howes of the Remanzacco Observatory.
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Comet ISON En Route: Jan. 21, 2013
Credit: NASA
This NASA sky map shows the location of Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON), or comet ISON, on Jan. 21, 2013.
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Newly Discovered Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)
Credit: Remanzacco Observatory/Ernesto Guido, Giovanni Sostero & Nick Howes
This image shows the newfound comet C/2012 (ISON) as seen by the Remanzacco Observatory in Italy. The image, taken by amateur astronomers Ernesto Guido, Giovanni Sostero and Nick Howes, is a confirmation view of the comet, which was first discovered by Vitali Nevski (Vitebsk, Belarus) and Artyom Novichonok (Kondopoga, Russia). Image released Sept. 24, 2012.
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Comet ISON in Night Sky
Credit: John Chumack
Skywatcher Vernon Dye took this shot of Comet ISON on Jan. 8, 2012. Comet ISON c/2012 S1 is currently in the Constellation of Gemini, moving between the head of the Twins Castor and Pollux.
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Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) Orbit Map
Credit: NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory
This NASA graphic shows the orbit and current position of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON). The comet is at present located at 6.25 AU from the sun, with 1 AU being the distance from Earth to the sun. Image released Sept. 24, 2012.
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Comet ISON
Comet Nevski-Novichonok (ISON) as it may appear at sunset on Nov. 29, if it survives its close encounter with the sun the day before.
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BRRISON Telescope Prepped for Gondola Attachment
Credit: NASA/JHUAPL
BRRISON’s 0.8-meter telescope is prepared for mating to the topmost part of the gondola.
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Comet ISON Mission: Balloon Rapid Response Light Instrument Testing, Integration
Credit: NASA/JHUAPL
Technicians finish integration and testing on the ultraviolet/visible light instrument for NASA's Balloon Rapid Response for Comet ISON mission.
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BRRISON Team Secured Topmost Section of Gondola
Credit: NASA/JHUAPL
At NASA’s Fort Sumner, N.M., Scientific Balloon Facility, the Balloon Rapid Response for Comet ISON (BRRISON) team secured the topmost section of the gondola (which primarily contains the telescope) onto the base plate, which holds BRRISON's many systems.
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BRRISON Hang Test Annotated
Credit: Eliot Young/SwRI
Annotated picture shows the Balloon Rapid Response for Comet ISON instrument free-hanging, reusable gondola looking out the hangar doors at Jupiter.
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Scientists Test BRRISON
Credit: NASA/JHUAPL
Scientists test and calibrate NASA's Balloon Rapid Response for Comet ISON 0.8-meter telescope before its Fall 2013 launch.
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BRRISON Mission Logo
Credit: NASA/APL/SwRI
The mission logo for NASA's Balloon Rapid Response for Comet ISON science balloon mission.
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BRRISON Telescope Sunshade Reoriented
Credit: SwRI
A sunshade on the BRRISON telescope is re-oriented for late evening launch from Fort Sumner, N.M., on Sept. 28, 2013 during an attempt to photograph Comet ISON from the stratosphere.
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BRRISON Mission Control
Credit: SwRI
Lots of monitors within BRRISON mission control are manned at Fort Sumner, N.M., on Sept. 28, 2013 during an attempt to photograph Comet ISON from the stratosphere.
