Astroblog: Comet Lovejoy Plunges Towards the Sun

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Comet Lovejoy Plunges Towards the Sun

Left Image: C/2011 W3 Lovejoy in SOHO C3 (15 December). Right Image: C/2011 W3 Lovejoy in STEREO beacon (low resolution) images in COR1B (15 December). Click to embiggen. Image credit NASA/SOHO and NASA/SECCHI.

Comet C/2011 W3 Lovejoy continues to plunge towards the Sun. Around 12 hours from perihelion, it is still bright (Karl Battams estimates around magnitude -2), and as yet undisintegrated.

Earlier images and animations, 13 Dec, 12 Dec.

Comet Lovejoy enters the COR1 ahead instrument, low resolution beacon images.

Labels: comet, comet lovejoy, comets, Kreutz, Soho, Stereo Satellite, sungrazer