What's Up? The Space Place

Hey Space Placers! Comet ISON has been fading by several magnitudes in the past 12 hours and shows no signs of fresh activity as you can see in this pic (compare to yesterday's pic): This does not bode well for the comet becoming a naked eye sight for the viewing public in the next few days. The comet is moving away from the Sun which will cause further dimming and if there is no new activity to pump up the material in the fading tail, it will be up to astrophotographers to try and image the comet. I suspect that Comet ISON was severely disrupted/fragmented in its close passage to the Sun on Thursday and that the apparently temporary revival we saw as it emerged was a last gasp. I don't think Comet ISON has anything left to become brighter at this point. Please look at the movies and commentary at this link  http://www.isoncampaign.org/karl/a-trail-of-questions   as it is the best summary with GREAT movies of what has happened and what to expect.  K...

Hey SPace Placers! The MOST befuddling comet in modern times continues to amaze astronomers in its behavior.  Yesterday, reports were coming in that Comet ISON was dead and gone. Then it had a debris field/tail that was coming out of its closest approach to the Sun. Today, NASA and others are stating that SOMETHING of the comet has survived. Perhaps it is a much smaller nucleus that is causing the comet to start behaving like, well, a comet! As can be seen in this pic below, Comet ISON has what appears to be a coma and tail.  What I have not seen from anyone yet is what will the comet mean to the viewing public. Will it be visible to the unaided eye?  With Comet ISON only one this is clear...... We will have to wait and see. Read More About It: http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/comet-ison-may-have-survived/#.Upi5JxYbSlI  and http://www.isoncampaign.org/padma/the-art-of-breaking-up I will continue to monitor the late...

Hey Space Placers! What a DAY!!!! Comet ISON has left the astronomical community in tatters - "its dead, its gone, its coming back, something is left",  conflicting views everywhere. Ah, what pure joy! No matter what happens I cannot remember a comet causing so much rabble rousing on the 'net. Here is the LATEST update from a leading expert on Comet ISON, BTW the title says it all: http://www.isoncampaign.org/karl/schroedingers-comet One thing seems clear - the comet suffered some disruption going so close to the Sun....it is not as active and bright coming out as it was going in. The biggest question of course is what does it mean for viewing in the morning sky? The jury is out on this but I do not think Comet ISON has much left to draw upon to light up the sky. I think it will be hard pressed to make naked eye visibility......hope I am wrong. Sky Guy in What a Day VA

Hey Space Placers! Well, Comet ISON, are you pulling another rabbit out of your hat such as "back from the dead and gone?????? As much as I wish it could be - just don't see the comet becoming a naked eye sight in the morning sky next week. But a cosmic miracle is always a possibility. Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! Monitoring the 'net and the expert consensus is that the Sun destroyed the solid core of the comet - the nucleus. What we are seeing is debris.   In looking at the photos I am VERY confident that there will be NO sky display for us in the morning....just not enough there. Sky Guy in VA

UPDATE: See movie here:  http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5480/11106507235_ec20b425d7_o.gif Maybe a last surprise/gasp from Comet ISON? Only time will tell....... Probably not enough left for a sky show for ground based observers........

Hey Space Placers! At least one expert is saying ISON is gone and the NASA SDO team "does not see the comet in SDO images". I feel confident that Comet ISON has been destroyed by its close encounter with the Sun. There will not be anything to see in the morning sky in early December. The comet dearth for the northern hemisphere continues........ Sky Guy in No Comet ISON VA

Hey Space Placers! Solar spacecraft imagery is NOT showing Comet ISON in images....... Comet may be gone...... Should know for sure soon...... Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! Comet may be falling apart but not yet known for sure......has passed closest to the Sun and is now headed out. Sky Guy

Hey Space Placers! 1:15 P.M. UPDATE: JOIN NASA HANGOUT  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q03I1B_yrPg&feature=youtu.be 1030 a.m. EST UPDATE: Comet ISON is plunging towards the Sun at ever increasing speed. Closest approach is about 3 hours away. Latest movie showing the comet:  http://spaceweather.com/images2013/28nov13/sundiver_anim.gif?PHPSESSID=4ertoqlpu5celagmbavfs17lj4 Be sure to tune in to the events below to watch astronomical history as it happens. Sky Guy in VA Latest pic from NASA SOHO: Comet ISON is racing towards the Sun for a Thanksgiving Day rendezvous that will be at its closest point - 730,000 miles - at approximately 1:37 p.m. EST. What becomes of the comet will not be known until something actually happens.  Comet ISON has been quite an enigma since it was discovered last year and the buzz of the astronomical community. With a fleet of solar spacecraft watching the comet as it approaches and passes the Sun, coupled with the powe...

Hey Space Placers! Just got back from sea today. Comet ISON is counting down to closest approach set for the 28th at 2 p.m. EST. Doing some media segments and will post more tomorrow on where to tune in for the events on Thursday. Latest pic from STEREO-A http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/comet-ison-as-seen-by-stereo-on-nov-25-2013/#.UpUmDBYbSlI Sky Guy Back in VA

Hey Space Placers! Comet ISON, the pristine comet from the vast reservoir of comets called the Oort Cloud, is headed for a close encounter with the Sun on November 28, Thanksgiving Day, at 2 p.m. EST. Each passing hour brings the comet inexorably closer to the Sun due to the pull of the Sun’s gravity. The ultimate fate of the comet may well be determined by its solar rendezvous but as the well known phrase of cometary studies says, “Comets are like cats; no one knows what they will do”. At its closest approach to the Sun Comet ISON will pass only 730,000 miles from our star and will be traveling at 864,000 miles per hour. The comet will be subjected to heating at 5,000 degrees F and gravitational forces that could tear the comet apart. No one knows what Comet ISON’s fate will be but astronomers around the world will be watching and waiting to find out. Comet ISON was discovered last year and because it was so far away when sighted, media speculation flourished as to it ...

Hey Space Placers! I had fair skies here in the Bermuda Triangle but could not see Comet ISON this a.m. I had no optical aid and I think that makes a big difference in zeroing in the comet. The countdown to the Sun is ticking away for the comet and we will be watching what happens.    Sky Guy in the Bermuda Triangle

Hey Space Placers! Comet ISON is now in view of our solar spacecraft fleet with the view to improve as the days count down to closest approach to the Sun on 11-28-13: http://spaceweather.com Sky Guy in the Bermuda Triangle

Hey Space Placers! Damian Peach and Sky And Telescope.com Latest on Comet ISON is here:  http://www.skyandtelescope.com/about/pressreleases/Comet_ISON_Grows_Exciting_as_Moment_of_Truth_Nears.html Still cloudy here in the Atlantic so I have not seen it...... Sky Guy at Sea

Hey Space Placers! MAVEN launched on time today 11-19-13 and is headed towards Mars. Read More ABout It:  http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/maven/main/index.html#.UorEhhYbSlI Sky Guy Looking For Comet ISON in the Atlantic

Hey Space Placers! NASA's newest mission to Mars,  Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN  ( MAVEN ) , is set to launch on November 18th. Launch is set for 1:28 p.m. EST and there is  60% chance of favorable weather. Read More About the mission here:   http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/maven/main/#.UolvghYbSlI and follow the launch blog here:  http://blogs.nasa.gov/maven/ Sky Guy in the Atlantic

Hey Space Placers! Seeing this dominating seamount volcano at over 12,000 feet high makes me wonder what Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system and on Mars would look like. Very, very impressive. Sky Guy at Sea Crossing the Atlantic

Hey Space Placers! Mercury and NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft are going to play host to the flyby of Comet ISON and Comet 2/P Encke. Read More About this very unusual encounter:   http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/15nov_twocomets/ SKy Guy Headed Towards Tenerife, Canary Islands

Hey Space Placers! Comet ISON is getting closer every hour to the Sun and the fateful Thanksgiving closest approach. The comet has now sprouted two tails as you can see in this photo taken  on Nov. 10th by amateur astronomer Michael Jäger of Jauerling Austria Only time will tell what Comet ISON will do - read more about here:  http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/14nov_whatsnext/ The comet had an outburst to where it is now on the threshold of becoming visible to the unaided eye:   http://spaceweather.com Sky Guy on the way to Tenerife, Canary Islands

Hey Space Placers! Learn about NASA's latest mission to the Red Planet -  MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) - which is set for launch on November 18th. Read More About It here:  http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/12nov_maven/ Sky Guy Onboard Azamara Quest, Seville,  Spain

Hey SPace Placers! Check out this natural color view of Saturn and inner planet pic taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft: Go to this site for more info and other pics:  http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-329 In Seville, Spain to go aboard Azamara Quest   today. Beautiful weather here, reminds me of southern California/ Sky Guy in Spain

Hey Space Placers! Here is a link to learn the latest on habitable zone exoplanets that are similar in size to Earth. These are planets where liquid water can exist as the planet lies in the zone around its star that allows for liquid water. The study finds that this is a fairly common happenstance in our Milky Way Galaxy with tens of billions of such planets. Read More About It:  h ttp://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2013/11/04/astronomers-answer-key-question-how-common-are-habitable-planets/ Sky Guy Headed To Sea Again On Another Transatlantic Crossing

Hey Space Placers! I'm back for 1 day and leave on Veteran's Day for Seville, Spain for another transatlantic crossing aboard Azamara Quest. Tune in to the sound of interstellar space as heard by Voyager 1 here:  http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/01nov_ismsounds/ I hope to keep in touch while at sea. Sky Guy in VA Temporarily

Hey Space Placers! Want the best information on what Comet ISON may or may not do in the weeks ahead to Thanksgiving Day (11/28/13) when it passes closest to the Sun at 730,000 miles, traveling at 864,000 miles per hour and being subjected to 5,000 degrees F and major gravitationally induced stresses? If you want to know about Comet ISON read ALL of the following blog entry and learn about the 3 possible outcomes for Comet ISON and the science being done and possible as a result of each outcome. You will also learn what it means for us being able to see the comet with the unaided eye. Read About Comet ISON: http://www.isoncampaign.org/mmk/what-might-happen Sky Guy At Sea

Hey Space Placers! Congratulations to India for launching its first ever spacecraft to Mars. Details are here : http://www.spaceflightnow.com/pslv/c25/131105launch/ The launch is the easy part.  Now we will see how the orbital insertion goes in September 2014. Sky Guy Still At Sea 

Hey SPace Placers! The eclipse was probably around 95% from our location at sea. Check out the photo bomb of my pinhole projection shot! Sky got dark and the shadows as you can see were very abnormal. Deepest partial solar eclipse I have ever seen except for the moments before and after totality. Sky Guy Still At Sea

Hey Space Placers! Check this link on how to SAFELY observe the partial solar eclipse as failure to do so can result in temporary or permanent eye damage: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/sun/View-Sun-Safely.html Then read the story on the eclipse here: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/Partial-Solar-Eclipse-Sunday-Morning-Nov-3rd-229133421.html I will be in a deep eclipse of perhaps 90+%. I will share with you tomorrow what occurred. Be safe, protect your eyesight by following the instructions in the Sky and Telescope article above. Sky Guy in The Atlantic