The latest images of the comet of the century.
This stunner above was captured by Adam Block on October 8 2013, just before sunrise, atop Mount Lemmon, Arizona, USA. The beautiful image features ISON’s greenish coma, trailed by a long, straight tail.
Aove green Comet ISON on Oct. 5, 2013 in the sky over Weissenkirchen, Austria.
ISON’s green color comes from the gases surrounding its icy nucleus. Jets spewing from the comet’s core probably contain cyanogen (CN: a poisonous gas found in many comets) and diatomic carbon (C2). Both substances glow green when illuminated by sunlight in the near-vacuum of space.
The comet is zooming within the orbit of Mars, heading toward a crucial rendezvous with the sun on November 28th. Get your telescope ready!
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