What a surprising comet this has been, even from the start when discovered in September 2012. It has defied predictions. It was hyped as the comet of the century. One thing is certain. It got a lot of attention and continues to surprise.
ISON plunged toward the sun gaining speed and brightness. During the hours before closest approach, or perihelion, it brightened, then dimmed and seemed to no longer have a tail. The highest resolution imagery during the closest approach distances by the SDO spacecraft didn’t show anything. It started to show a tail and increasing brightness as it departed. That was a surprise. This 15 sec video records the approach, perihelion, and departure. Replay it several times. Look for ISON to dim as it neared the Sun. Notice it is barely visible upon re-emergence. Then, it brightens considerably. The black disc in the center has an image of the…
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