Comet ISON could disintegrate it approaches the Sun - La Vanguardia

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Two comets class=”list”>

intensive visit Earth

A comet shine

• fifteen moons in 2013

Madrid. (Europa Press). – Scientists at NASA , who are conducting the study known as ‘the comet of the century’, ISON , doubt if the rock will survive before to reach its perihelion, the closest point to the Sun in its path.

As indicated, has an activity “unusual” similar to that when these bodies have already approaching the star. However, ISON is still more than 451 million miles from Earth. For months, the Hubble Space Telescope has begun a study of Comet ISON (discovered in September 2012) and, according to experts, is one of the brightest comets of the past 50 years. However, if it is visible from Earth later this year, as expected, it will be seen even in daylight.

team is using images from the telescope to measure the level of activity of this comet. So far, preliminary data indicate that the core is not more than three or four miles in diameter. This is a size “remarkably small” given the high level of activity observed in the comet, as explained by the experts.

Specifically, NASA has determined that the comet ISON is shedding its core powder at a rate of more than 50.8 pounds per minute, similar to what these bodies lose when you are already close the Sun

The U.S. space agency has indicated that this feature can mean the “destruction”, but hope that it stays that way until perihelion.

Currently, the comet is about to reach the outer edge of the asteroid belt, as explained by the chief scientist at the Environment Office at NASA’s Meteoroid, William Cooke, who has said that the comet nucleus will shrink as you get closer to the sun and heat.

Cook has stated that “doubt” that the comet “will survive”. “I guess I will not know for sure until we see the sun come out from behind,” he said.

NASA has indicated that, to know the precise date of its passage near the Sun (for now shuffle the November 28), and the characteristics of the rock, mission managers will continue to perform in the coming months a more careful analysis.