Comet ISON has nearly complete its long trip to the sun, and at 1:44 p.m. EST, the Thanksgiving 2013 traveler will reach perihelion, or closest approach to our system's star.
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Comet ISON has nearly completed its long trip to the sun, and at 1:44 p.m. EST, the Thanksgiving 2013 traveler will reach perihelion, or closest approach to our system's star.
Scientists are watching as Comet ISON, deemed a "sungrazer" because of its extremely close pass by the sun, makes its approach. They're not sure if it will survive the intense forces as it zips around the sun. If ISON makes it, it could reappear as a bright object visible to the naked eye in the predawn skies in early December 2013.
Although you can't just go outside and see ISON's perihelion, there are ways to see what happens from the comfort of your Thanksgiving Day gathering, or wherever you might be:
» NASA TV's live coverage is embedded at the top of this article.
» NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory spacecraft is watching, and the website cometison.gsfc.nasa.gov/ "will display near realtime images and movies of this sungrazing comet. Images should begin appearing sometime between 12:45 pm and 1:00 pm ET."
» NASA has a Google+ Hangout titled FIRE vs. ISON starting at 1 p.m. EST.
