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Comet ISON

Will comet’s dance with sun be a spectacle or a dud?

Astronomy buffs around the world are eagerly expecting the outcome of comet ISON's close encounter with the Sun on Thanksgiving Day. Odds are it may show up bright in the sky afterward, but no one knows for sure, according to Adam Block of the UA Mount Lemmon SkyCenter.

Comets are dark, icy objects that originate in the outer solar system and travel in long orbits around the sun.

As they approach the sun, they warm and the ice on their outer surfaces vaporizes. The vapors form tails, which can be thousands or millions of miles long.

Arizona Republic Article click here.

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