PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

SOHO shows new images of Comet ISON

2013-11-28
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Susan Hendrix
Susan.m.hendrix@nasa.gov
301-286-7745
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
SOHO shows new images of Comet ISON

VIDEO: ISON enters the field of view of the joint ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, or SOHO, spacecraft's C3 coronograph, where the brighter view of the sun itself is blocked to...
Click here for more information.

As Comet ISON heads toward its closest approach to the sun — known as perihelion — on Nov. 28, 2013, scientists have been watching through many observatories to see if the comet has already broken up under the intense heat and gravitational forces of the sun. The comet is too far away to discern how many pieces it is in, so instead researchers carefully measure how bright it is, which can be used to infer its current state. Less light can sometimes mean that more of the material has boiled off and disappeared, perhaps pointing to a disintegrated comet. But also a disintegrating comet sometimes gives off more light, at least temporarily, so researchers look at the comet's pattern of behavior over the previous few days to work out what it may be doing.

Has Comet ISON broken up? It is still unclear.

At times observations have suggested ISON was getting dimmer and might already be in pieces. However, over Nov. 26-27, 2013, the comet once again brightened. In the early hours of Nov. 27, the comet appeared in the view of the European Space Agency/NASA mission the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory in the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph instrument. Coronagraphs block out the bright light of the sun in order to better see the dimmer solar atmosphere, the corona. In these images, the comet looks quite bright as it moves in from the lower right of the image. A giant cloud of solar material, called a coronal mass ejection or CME, is also seen in the images bursting off the bottom of the sun and heading out into space. It is as yet unclear if the CME is heading towards ISON but even if it does, it poses no real danger to the comet.

If the comet has already broken up, it should disintegrate completely as it makes its slingshot around the sun. This would provide a great opportunity for scientists to see the insides of the comet, and better understand its composition — as such information holds clues about what material was present during the solar system's formation when this comet was born. However, it would likely mean no comet visible in the night sky in December. We'll only know for sure after the comet rounds the sun on Thanksgiving Day.



INFORMATION:



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

EARTH Magazine: Old photos help scientists relocate 1906 San Francisco quake rupture point

2013-11-27
EARTH Magazine: Old photos help scientists relocate 1906 San Francisco quake rupture point Alexandria, VA – Geoscientists using every resource available to them — from bare-earth LIDAR technology to knowledge of turn-of-the-century fashion — have helped correct ...

Children are significantly more likely to develop PTSD if the mother is already afflicted

2013-11-27
Children are significantly more likely to develop PTSD if the mother is already afflicted Ben-Gurion University of the Negev study conducted following missile attacks in Israel BEER-SHEVA, Israel…November 27, 2013 – A Ben-Gurion ...

UCLA research may help scientists understand what causes pregnancy complications

2013-11-27
UCLA research may help scientists understand what causes pregnancy complications Researchers identify cells involved in placenta development Dr. Hanna Mikkola and researchers at UCLA's Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem ...

Scientists design and test new approach for corneal stem cell treatments

2013-11-27
Scientists design and test new approach for corneal stem cell treatments Published study offers insight into procedure that may accelerate research and clinical applications for stem cell-related corneal blindness LOS ANGELES (Nov. 27, 2013) – Researchers ...

Reef fish find it's too hot to swim

2013-11-27
Reef fish find it's too hot to swim We all know the feeling, it's a hot summer afternoon and you have no appetite and don't want to do anything apart from lay on the couch. A team of researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence ...

Scientists identify key protein responsible for controlling communication between brain cells

2013-11-27
Scientists identify key protein responsible for controlling communication between brain cells Scientists are a step closer to understanding how some of the brain's 100 billion nerve cells co-ordinate their communication. The study is published today ...

Cryptic new species of wild cat identified in Brazil

2013-11-27
Cryptic new species of wild cat identified in Brazil Researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on November 27 have identified a cryptic new species of wild cat living in Brazil. The discovery is a reminder of just how little scientists still know about ...

Genetic mutation increases risk of Parkinson's disease from pesticides

2013-11-27
Genetic mutation increases risk of Parkinson's disease from pesticides Study uses patient-derived stem cells to show that a mutation in the alpha-synuclein gene causes increased vulnerability to pesticides, leading to Parkinson's disease LA ...

A fiery drama of star birth and death

2013-11-27
A fiery drama of star birth and death Located only about 160 000 light-years from us (eso1311 - http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1311/) in the constellation of Dorado (The Swordfish), the Large Magellanic Cloud is one of our closest galactic neighbours. It is actively forming new stars ...

New clues to memory formation may help better treat dementia

2013-11-27
New clues to memory formation may help better treat dementia Brain research by UH biologists provides new clues to Pavlovian conditioning HOUSTON, Nov. 27, 2013 – Do fruit flies hold the key to treating dementia? Researchers at the University of Houston (UH) have taken ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Heart rate changes predict depression treatment success with magnetic brain stimulation

Genetics pioneer transforms global depression research through multi-omics discoveries

MDMA psychiatric applications synthesized: Comprehensive review examines PTSD treatment and emerging therapeutic indications

Psychedelics offer new therapeutic framework for stress-related psychiatric disorders

Brain cell discoveries reshape understanding of psychiatric disorders

Mom’s voice boosts language-center development in preemies’ brains, study finds

Development of silicon ultrasound patch achieves both eco-friendliness and performance enhancement

Measles immunity 90% in BC’s Lower Mainland

Women’s brain regions may lose ability to synchronize after sexual assault

Quitting smoking, even late in life, linked to slower cognitive decline

Critical raw materials are a vital new currency; Europe’s e-waste is the vault

Anesthesiologist-led care helps hip-fracture patients get to surgery faster, with fewer complications

Two-dose recombinant shingles vaccine is effective even accounting for prior receipt of live shingles vaccine

Excessive daytime sleepiness may raise risk of cognitive problems after surgery

Flipping the switch on sperm motility offers new hope for male infertility

Twisting sound: Scientists discover a new way to control mechanical vibrations in metamaterial

Drip by drip: The hidden blueprint for stalagmite growth

mRNA therapy restores sperm production and fertility in mice

New way to weaken cancer cells could supercharge prostate cancer treatment

How sound—but not touch—shapes rhythm in the brain

Exploring the therapeutic potential of hypothermia

Research alert: Bioengineering breathes new life into failed cancer treatment

AI, health, and health care today and tomorrow – the JAMA Summit Report on artificial intelligence

Large genetic study links cannabis use to psychiatric, cognitive and physical health

Social media use trajectories and cognitive performance in adolescents

Music for the brain: Study tests the effect of slow-tempo relaxing music to address delirium in critically ill older adults 

AI models predict sepsis in children, allow preemptive care

Liraglutide vs semaglutide vs dulaglutide in veterans with type 2 diabetes

Antenatal corticosteroids and infectious diseases throughout childhood

New lab-grown human embryo model produces blood cells

[Press-News.org] SOHO shows new images of Comet ISON