COMET ISON APPROACHES

SpaceWeather.com ^ | January 8, 2013 | John Chumack

[Errant]

Later this year, Comet ISON could put on an unforgettable display as it plunges toward the sun for a fiery encounter likely to turn the "dirty snowball" into a naked-eye object in broad daylight. At the moment, however, it doesn't look like much. John Chumack sends this picture, taken Jan. 8th, from his private observatory in Yellow Springs, Ohio:

[Quick Shot]

Now how the heck do they find these scanning 360 degrees in in all directions, and how do they find it when it is coming straight at you.....

[Revelation 911]

the Jupiter comet was shoemaker levy

[Errant]

Comparing images over time for movement and for new objects appearing.

[The Cajun]

(Hard to believe Kohoutek was almost 40 years ago!)

Dang! Can't believe it was that long ago.
Realized it was a while back, but not 40 years.

[Quick Shot]

But if it is a black rock flying though space the reflection will be minimumal. Just seems worse than a needle in a haystack.

[McGruff]

We're all gonna die!

[Errant]

It's not a black rock, even though black rocks also reflect some light depending upon the surface; it's a comet, a dirty snowball and the coma developed, making it more visible than an asteroid of similar size as the comet's nucleus.

[dr_lew]

Yes, I meant it was impressive that he photographed such a dim object with amateur equipment.

[JRios1968]

I thought that’s what you meant.

[Errant]

More info on the possibility of ISON creating a solar flare:

Comet ISON, the Sungrazer, Is Coming: Will It Cause a Solar Flare and Electronics Meltdown?

[SaraJohnson]

It appears that the biggest danger to mankind it presents is the wiping out of some satilites and unhappy interactions with our sun. We’ll see.