Mars Spacecrafts Prepare to Capture Comet ISON on Thanksgiving Day

Astronomers around the world are eagerly waiting to observe the icy visitor 'Comet ISON' approach the sun for a close encounter, later this year.  Most exciting news is that this comet might be visible in the night sky as a naked eye object.

NASA and ESA space missions are preparing to observe comet ISON that will appear on 28 November- Thanksgiving Day.  The comet will move at a distance of 1.2 million kilometers above the Sun's visible surface. On Oct. 1 the comet will cruise by the red planet 'Mars' at a distance of 10.5 million kilometres that is approximately six times closer than its approach to Earth.

For the next two weeks ESA's Mars Express will conduct an observation campaign by capturing pictures and examine the composition of the comet's coma- the atmosphere surrounding the ISON's ice-rock nucleus.

Dubbed as the 'Comet of the Century', it was initially discovered on September 21, 2012 by Russian amateur astronomers Artyom Novichonok and Vitali Nevski. ISON is considered as a 'sungrazer' and is expected to offer spectacular views for the Northern Hemisphere.

Detailed images of the comet were provided early this year by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.  Later it was difficult to view the comet from Earth as it was temporarily hidden behind the Sun. But later in August it was spotted again by amateur astronomer Bruce Gary.

As the comet makes a close encounter with the Sun its coma will get more evident as the surface ice gets heated by the Sun and converts it into gas.

According to the astronomers, if the comet survives this fiery encounter then the icy ball will shine 15 times brighter than the moon even in broad day light, offering curious spectators a rare chance to spot it as it cruises out of the solar system.

The NASA/ESA mission will monitor the comet as it grazes around the Sun later this year. Joining them will be ESA's Proba-2 and Venus Express that will keep a close watch on the comet in the month of November and December.

Comet expert John Bortle was quoted in Clarksville Online saying, "ISON appears likely to survive the in-bound leg of its journey all the way to the Sun. It will probably brighten more slowly than all the early hype led the public to believe. Nevertheless, Comet ISON should very briefly become exceptionally bright, at least rivaling the planet Venus in the hours preceding its closest approach to the sun."

This comet poses no threat and this bright comet will eventually fade by the time it arrives at its closest approach to Earth on December 26.