Will ‘Comet of the Century’ Get Cooked by the Sun?

Comet ISON, predicted to be the brightest and most spectacular comets in some time, will reach its closest approach to the sun on Thanksgiving Day. This will represent a moment of truth for Comet ISON, as the radiation from the sun will begin to cook off the frozen water ice of the comet in a process known as sublimation. This may lead to the complete destruction of the comet, depending on how the comet and its tail interact with the solar atmosphere. 

Animators at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. created this short movie showing how the sun can cook a comet. 

Watch here: 

This video is public domain and can be downloaded at:http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?11384