The ISON comet can be observed with the naked eye

Comet ISON, the object that received the most attention from observers this year has come quite close to the Sun. In these days, we can observe it with the naked eye or with the aid of binoculars or amateur telescopes.

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After a long journey to the Sun, comet ISON is now close to its destination, it suddenly lights up very fast compared to the original astronomers' prediction. Currently, in areas with low light pollution and ideal weather (no clouds), the observer can see the comet completely with the naked eye. In places where the atmosphere is inferior, we can see comets with the help of a small binocular or telescope.

The best time to observe the comet ISON in the last days of this November is at dawn, from 4:30 to 5:30. Look at the eastern sky, now the constellation Virgo is rising, the brightest star in the sky is Spica. Comet ISON is located near this bright star. In the 18th and 19th of this month you will see the comet lying very close to Spica, but it will continue to go lower in the next few days and it will become more difficult to observe because it is above the horizon will progress near the morning.

Observe the following image to determine the location of Spica and ISON:

Photo: Earthsky.org

One point you should keep in mind: unlike the imagination of many people, comets are completely different from shooting stars, it is not a streak of light passing through the sky but a celestial body that moves very slowly when viewed from Earth. In the case of ISON, you can only observe it is a very small and dim light trail in the night sky. If you have binoculars or telescopes, you can see a little more clearly the tail of this comet.

The image of the ISON comet was taken by observer Scott MacNeill at dawn on November 15

With this sudden glow, scientists believe that it is very likely that comets will be burned down and disappear before reaching the Sun or just a few days after approaching the Sun. However, it does not rule out the possibility that it will survive and leave after burning a large portion of its mass.