10 Facts about Comet ISON

Tuesday, February 16th 2016. | Astronomy


Facts about Comet ISON give you interesting information about a sungrazing comet. Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok discovered the comet on September 21st, 2012. The formal name of this comet is C/2012 S1. Both used ISON or International Scientific Optical Network located closer to Kislovodsk, Russia. The size of the reflector of ISON is 16 inches or 0.4 meter. CoLiTec was the automated asteroid discovery program which processed the data. Check other interesting facts about Comet ISON by reading the below post:

Facts about Comet ISON 1: the precovery images

On 28th December 2011, the Mount Lemmon Survey located the precovery images. Then it was followed by Pan-STARRS which located the images on January 28, 2012.

Facts about Comet ISON 2: the follow up observations

On 22 September, a team from Remanzacco Observatory in Italy had follow up observations on the comet. The team employed the iTelescope network during the observation.

Comet ISON Pictures

Comet ISON Pictures

Facts about Comet ISON 3: the official announcement of the discovery

On 24th September, Minor Planet Center announced the discovery of Comet ISON.

Facts about Comet ISON 4: the nucleus of comet ISON

The diameter of Comet ISON was around 3 miles or 5 km based on the Swift’s observations in January 2013. However, it was later estimated that the diameter of Comet ISON’s nucleus was only 1 mile or 2 km.

Comet ISON

Comet ISON

Facts about Comet ISON 5: the diameter of nucleus based on MRO

It is believed that the nucleus of Comet ISON was less than 0.5 miles or 0.8 km for the diameter based on the observations of MRO or Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Facts about Comet ISON 6: the brightness

At first, people thought that Comet ISON was very bright. Some people believed that it was brighter than the full moon. But they were wrong for the naked eye could not spot it.

Facts about Comet ISON

Facts about Comet ISON

Facts about Comet ISON 7: the broken comet

Comet ISON is not available anymore because it disintegrated into pieces when it passed near the sun.  The tidal forces and heat of the sun made it completely broken on November 28, 2013. Find facts about astronomy here.

Facts about Comet ISON 8: as perihelion

It was believed that the small fragment of Comet ISON survived as perihelion. The members of CIOC spotted this coma like feature.

Comet ISON Image

Comet ISON Image

Facts about Comet ISON 9: the dimmed coma

The coma was dimmed on 29 November 2013. Then it faded away on 30 November 2013. Find facts about comets and meteors here.

Facts about Comet ISON 10: the full disintegration of Comet ISON

The full disintegration of Comet ISON was spotted on 2nd December 2013.

Comet ISON Facts

Comet ISON Facts

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