Watch Comet Lovejoy dive into sun LIVE NOW

[jjjnettie]

http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/lovejoy.php

Choose from "Real Time Display" box on right. Select the first and third videos.

Now, Right NOW

[iceman]

Stunning!

Terry you are a legend.

[jjjnettie]

:D So proud of you Terry.
What an awesome event to have your name on. :D

[Hagar]

Really happy for you Terry. Your dedication and persistance has paid off big time with this one.
Well done Mate. Now for your next.

[jjjnettie]

This link should work.
http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/lovejoy_movie.php?w=0171&r=1024

What an awesome sundive.
hee hee Maybe it wasn't a comet, it was Disaster Areas stunt ship???

[jjjnettie]

The Comet has survived!!!
It made it!! It's coming back out the other side. :D

[jjjnettie]

Nick Howes says on this breaking news....."we'll be pointing Faulkes and La Palma at it when we can then... fantastic news"

[SkyViking]

That must be one of the coolest videos I have ever seen. Amazing how it's diving through those giant loops!
Congratulations to Terry again for discorering such a spectacular comet :D

[jjjnettie]

And here it comes, blasting out of the other side.
As I write, orbital data is being revised.
It sure is scooting along now. :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LBJ2mkI1rSc

[Liz]

Unbelievable and amazing!!

[Ric]

How cool was that. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Excellent stuff.

[CometGuy]

Here is an interview and photo from this morning:

http://www.space.com/13957-doomed-sungrazing-comet-terry-lovejoy-interview.html

Anyway, all I can say at the moment is "what a rush"!

Terry

[iceman]

Wow, such incredible vision.

[Suzy]

Just incredible! Been following this all day on Nasa & facebook & everywhere; the heart still has not stopped racing. Such an exciting & exhilarating day.

You the man Terry! :thumbsup:

[mishku]

I have been tottering around the office making everyone come and look at the images as they emerge - your (not so) little comet is generating quite the buzz, Terry! :thumbsup:

[DavidU]

Arise Sir Terry Lovejoy ! Total awesomness:thumbsup:

[Suzy]

The latest video (posted an hour ago) from NASA-SDO here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72DVbKyAfNQ&feature=player_embedded).

[astroron]

Wow that is so quick and also Cooool :eyepop:
Cheers :thumbsup:

[gary]

Fantastic! Looks like the New Year's Eve fireworks have started early this year!

Well found Terry!!!

[CometGuy]

Confirmation that the comet survived is now appearing in the STEREO Coronagraph images. I combined six images showing the comet to the the left of the sun moving outbound. Looks like the tail suffered a big hit...

Terry

[renormalised]

Congrats, Terry, on a wonderful observational achievement. But I have to tell you, mate, next time you try to pull a stunt like that (flying too close to the Sun), buy yourself a shield generator!!!! :):P

It'll save you on the crisp factor!!!!! :):P

[jjjnettie]

Promise me you'll join FB for the next one Terry. It felt weird, relaying messages to and from from that rubber chicken.

[gary]

Thanks Terry,

It faired better than Icarus.

[GrahamL]

So what happens on the way out Terry ?

Do we get a decent look at it .

[CometGuy]

Here we go...this is the latest SOHO L3 image.

http://lasco-www.nrl.navy.mil/javagif/gifs/20111216_0930_c3.gif

This is one strange object. The pre-perihelion tail appears still extending downward, while the comet itself is the brilliant object to the right of the sun. Both entities seem completely disconnected.

The tail appears to be rebuilding on the comet itself.

Terry

[CometGuy]

Graham,

That is a good question, the comet looks bright enough for marginal daylight observation right at the moment for people with very clear skies. I have a feeling we might be able to see something in a few days...but this comet has been so unpredictable!

Terry

[acropolite]

Fantastic news that the comet survived, must be one tough little sucker.

[jjjnettie]

A friend of mine pointed this video my way.
The Ballad of Lovejoy- The Comet that Could.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ymxgchf8x0w

[astroron]

Some nice work and music JJJ :)
Cheers:thumbsup:

[ballaratdragons]

WOW! Terry's comet has become somewhat of a phenomenon with thousands of websites covering it, many hundreds of video clips, dozens of You Tube video's devoted to it and there is still more data a to come in yet!

Onya Terry :thumbsup:

[jjjnettie]

Has ANYONE seen anything about this on the News??

[DavidU]

Yep it has made it into the news.
ABC
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/comet-lovejoy-suicidal-comet-survives-close-pass-sun/story?id=15169780#.TuwoyFajSuI
and National Geographic
http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2011/12/16/comet-stays-alive-after-buzzing-sun/
And a few News papers in the USA.

[jjjnettie]

But nothing in the Australian news.
Maybe if Terry changed his surname to kardashian it would have got some airplay.

[DavidU]

Just this Aussie one (typically badly written)
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/comet-defies-death-brushes-up-to-sun/story-e6frf7jx-1226224561897

[mishku]

Lovejoy Kardashian. Has quite the ring, don't you think? :screwy:

[Octane]

Comet Carcrashian.

H

[shelltree]

Wow Terry, congratulations, what a find! :) You must be absolutely stoked and we are all so happy and excited for you!

[mithrandir]

If someone would like to confirm this to see if I've got the find_orb processing right? Neither MPC not JPL seem to use the observations in K11Y02


C/2011 W3
Perihelion 2011 Dec 16.014261 TT = 0:20:32 (JD 2455911.514261)
Epoch 2011 Dec 7.0 TT = JDT 2455902.5 Earth MOID: 0.5739
M 359.98444 (2000.0) P Q
n 0.00172540 Peri. 53.70216 0.18373399 -0.90110751
a 68.8454274 Node 326.61745 -0.96011709 -0.07885085
e 0.9999195 Incl. 134.45632 0.21075338 0.42636579
P 571.23 M(N) 18.7 K 10.0 q 828671.800km Q 137.685315
From 109 observations 2011 Nov. 27-Dec. 10; RMS error 2.732 arcseconds