Is ISON really 'dead'? New images reveal glowing trail of dust that could be a surviving fragment of the comet

  • At around 6.35pm GMT the Comet ISON flew towards the sun
  • Astronomers predicted the heat would cause it to disintegrate and initial images appeared to confirm this
  • Yet shortly after the flyby unusual lights were seen suggesting otherwise
  • Scientists are now unsure what happened to the 'comet of the century'

By Sarah Griffiths and Victoria Woollaston

PUBLISHED: 04:34 EST, 29 November 2013 | UPDATED: 07:34 EST, 29 November 2013

The demise of Comet ISON was deemed inevitable, with scientists around the world saying it would disintegrate as it flew close to the sun.

However, the latest images from Nasa and the European Space Agency suggest that the comet, or at least fragments of it, may have survived.

At around 6.35pm GMT on Thursday, the so-called 'comet of the century' was spotted on a trajectory towards the sun before seeming to disappear.

Yet, shortly afterwards bright lights were spotted that some scientists have claimed could be the comet's nucleus.

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At around 18:35 GMT last night the so-called 'comet of the century' was spotted on a trajectory towards the sun before appearing to disappear

At 6.35pm GMT on Thursday the so-called 'comet of the century' was spotted on a trajectory towards the sun before disappearing. Shortly afterwards bright lights (pictured top left) were spotted that some scientists have claimed could be the comet's nucleus

comet ISON

Fire in the sky: In this frame grab taken from an enhanced video made by Nasa's STEREO-A spacecraft, comet ISON, left, approaches the sun on November 25. ISON, which was discovered a year ago, was closest to the sun on Thursday

'Initially when something came out (after close approach), we thought this is just the dust trail and there's not much left, it's just going to fade away,' astronomer Matthew Knight told CBS News.

'And then images keep coming in and...the last few, it seems pretty definitely like it's getting brighter. So we do not have a good answer as to what's going on.'

 

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Some scientists feared the delicate comet had already started to disintegrate, even before it grazed the 'surface' of the sun, 1.2 million kilometres away.

Dr Dan Brown, an expert in astronomy at Nottingham Trent University, told MailOnline that when the comet entered the sun's hottest outer layers it was exposed to a temperature of several million degrees.

The bottom image shows Comet ISON blazing towards the sun on Thursday morning in the U.S.

The bottom image shows Comet ISON blazing towards the sun on Thursday morning. By almost 1pm it is captured looking faded, pictured top

Comet ISON

Here, Comet ISON is shown entering the field of view of the ESA and Nasa's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory on November 27. In this picture, called a coronagraph, the bright light of the sun itself is blocked so the structures around it are visible. The comet is seen in the lower right

Comet ISON

Comet ISON was discovered by two amateur Russian astronomers in 2012 and travelled within 730,000 miles of the sun on Thursday

Appearance:

Comet ISON entered the view of NASA's Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory on 21 November, where it could be seen with Earth, Mercury and comet 2P/Encke

Earlier this week, NASA released a high-resolution image of the streaking comet that looked like a swimming tadpole.

It was captured by the H-1 camera on board NASA's Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory on November 21. 

Nasa said ISON, which is officially labelled as Comet C/2012 S1, appeared to still be intact in its video and can be seen in these images along with Earth, Mercury and Comet 2P/Encke.

The tails streaking out from behind both comets can be seen moving along with the steady stream of particles - called the solar wind - that flows out from the sun.

Comet ISON

A composite image from the European Southern Observatory's TRAPPIST telescope in Chile shows Comet ISON streaking toward the sun on Nov. 15. The image combines four different 30-second exposures of the moving comet in different wavelengths

 

If it has survived, ISON, pronounced EYE'-sahn, should be visible with the naked eye through December, at least from the Northern Hemisphere.

Discernible at times in November with ordinary binoculars and occasionally even just the naked eye, it already has dazzled observers and is considered the most scrutinised comet ever by NASA.

But the best is, potentially, yet to come if the comet really has survived its solar flyby.

Dr Brown told MailOnline: 'This close encounter with the sun offers a unique opportunity for astronomers to analyse the composition of a comet. Comets are icy, dusty snowballs - the remains from the formation of our solar system 4.5 billion years ago.

'The long tail containing the material frozen in the comet and released through the heat of the sun offers astronomers the chance to identify different elements.

'It has already been bright enough for astronomers to capture amazing pictures. However, if the comet survives its burning close encounter with the sun it may have a huge and impressively long tail with a brightness that might make it an easy to spot object even with the naked eye.

German amateur astronomer Waldemar Skorupa recorded this image from Kahler Asten, in Germany, on November 16, 2013

ISON, which has been dubbed the 'comet of the century', has been visible to the naked eye this month. German amateur astronomer Waldemar Skorupa recorded this image from Kahler Asten, in Germany, on 16 November

'This happened in 1965 with the comet Ikeya Seki that had an enormously long tail; but some comets, like Lovejoy three years ago, have been ripped apart during their close encounter by the sun's gravitational force. 

'The magic limit for survival of the comet seems to be the size, which has to exceed 2 km so it does not get boiled away or ripped apart by the sun. ISON is estimated to be that size, so we should all cross our fingers and await our early Christmas comet,' he said.

WHEN TO VIEW COMET ISON

The place to see the ‘comet of the century’ is in a clear dark sky where the horizon is unobstructed, such as in the countryside.

It can be seen with the naked eye, but binoculars will highlight details such as its tail, streamers and bumps in the surface.

It should be seen before dawn in the eastern sky.

ISON passed within 1.2 million miles of the sun’s surface yesterday at around 18:35 GMT.

Detected just over a year ago, the comet is passing through the inner solar system for the first time. Still fresh, this comet is thought to bear the pristine matter of the beginning of our solar system.

It's believed to be straight from the Oort cloud on the fringes of the solar system, which is home to countless icy bodies - most notably the frozen balls of dust and gas in orbit around the sun known as comets.

For whatever reason, ISON was propelled out of this cloud and drawn toward the heart of the solar system by the sun's intense gravitational pull.

The closer the comet gets to the sun, the faster it gets and in January, it was clocked at 40,000 mph (64,000 kph). 

By last Thursday, the comet had accelerated to 150,000 mph (240,000 kph) but by the time ISON slingshots around the sun, it will be moving at a mind-boggling 828,000 mph (1,332,000 kph).

The comet, top right, has so far been photographed through telescopes and long exposures but is expected to be visible to the naked eye throughout December and January. It could be the brightest for 100 years

The comet, top right, has so far been photographed through telescopes and long exposures but is expected to be visible to the naked eye throughout December - if it has survived. It could be the brightest for 100 years

The comet is already creating a spellbinding cosmic spectacle as ice in its body vapourises and forms a distinct bright tail

The comet has been creating a spellbinding cosmic spectacle of late as ice in its body vapourises and forms a distinct bright tail

Whether it has survived or is torn apart, humans have nothing to fear.

The comet will venture no closer to us than about 40 million miles (64 million kilometres), less than half the distance between Earth and the sun.

The closest approach to Earth will occur on Boxing day - if the comet has survived.

Then it will head away in the opposite direction forever, given its anticipated trajectory.

ISON is named after the International Scientific Optical Network, used by a pair of Russian astronomers to detect the comet in September 2012, but it officially is known as C/2012 S1, which indicates when it was discovered.

Take heart: The 'C' means it is not expected here again.

Comments (8)

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Well done DM for finally catching up.

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I think illuminati is behind hiring DM's board of directors... News does not make sense.....too much opinion... too little facts...

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I blame Bruce Willis !...

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Who do I sue for the emotional damage caused by the disappointment of not seeing it ?

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Joey Barton.

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DM it was your forecast & Daily Express moment! & just like the Daily Express with its weather forecasts spectacular in a fail!! never mind always be another time chaps!

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i bet the illuminati was behind it ha ha

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