Comet ISON moving closer

The comet C/2012 S1, or ISON as it is called, will pass close to the sun this November. The big question is whether it will put on a big show for the unaide eyes of everyone or just be visible to those looking through telescopes. At the moment is it is showing off for those watching it through such aids: Green light for ISON: Comet blazes in stunning shots – PhotoBlog

The comet was discovered on September 21, 2012 by Vitali Nevsk of Vitebsk, Belarus and Artyom Novichonok of  Kondopoga, Russia.

Here is a blog dedicated to the comet: WAITING FOR ISON. It offers lots of resources about this big dirty snowball.

Here are some Hubble images of comet Ison from April 10, 2013:

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Sunspot cycle lowdown

The sun continues to ride on the mild side: Ramping down from solar maximum –  Behind The Black
ISES Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression - NOAA

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Check the HobbySpace Sun & Space Weather page for your daily solar fix.

Carnival of Space #322 – NextBigFuture.com

The NextBigFuture blog hosts the latest Carnival of Space.

Jodie Foster narrates documentary on the Very Large Array radio astronomy observatory

Here’s a documentary video (embedding not allowed) about the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). The video is narrated by Jodie Foster, who was seen at the VLA in the movie ContactBeyond The Visible: The Story of the Very Large Array – Vimeo

Created in 2013 as the new interpretive film for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) public Visitor Center, this 24-minute production explores the synergies of technology and human curiosity that power the world’s most productive radio telescope. Narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Jodie Foster (star of the film “Contact,” which was based on the novel by Carl Sagan and filmed at the VLA), the program depicts many of the people whose diverse efforts enable the VLA to be a cutting-edge resource for astronomers and humanity worldwide.

For more information about the VLA, where we welcome visitors at no charge, visit public.nrao.edu. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

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Space policy roundup – Oct.8.13

Some space policy related items today: