COMET ISON 2013

Comet ISON, captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in April.
The comet was near Jupiter's orbit at the time.  NASA

One of the most loudly topics among astronomers and astronomical enthusiasts or sky watchers is the Comet ISON or Comet C/2012 Si. Comet ISON, or C/2012 S1, was discovered in 2012 and is considered a sun- cropping comet, as it will pass to the sun so closely. Around November, ISON was predicted to be one of the brightest object in the sky that it would be visible in broad daylight. NASA production editor Tony Phillips had said, “If the comet survives the encounter with the sun, it could emerge glowing as brightly as the moon, visible near the sun in the blue daylight sky. On Nov. 28th, Comet ISON will fly through the sun's atmosphere little more than a million kilometers above the sun's fiery surface. This raises a question: Is Comet ISON racing toward its end? Thus this comet gives a bad effect to the earth? Astronomer Matthew Knight of the Lowell Observatory thinks the comet might withstand the heat: The comet's dusty tail stretching into the night would create a worldwide sensation.” For us amateur astronomers, we don't know what will be happen or what it can give to us but we know it can give excitement to us as we follow it's movement. 

Hybrid Solar Eclipse, snap shot from UAE's capital - Abu Dhabi

HYBRID PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE NOVEMBER 2013

A total solar eclipse will occur this November 3, 2013. It is a hybrid eclipse of the Sun with a magnitude of 1.0159. Total eclipse will be visible from the northern Atlantic Ocean (east of Florida) to Africa (Gabon (landfall), R. Congo, DR Congo, Uganda), with maximum of 1 minute and 39 seconds visible from the Atlantic Ocean south of Ivory Coast and Ghana. This solar eclipse will happen simultaneously with 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and it will be possible to observe a partial solar eclipse in Abu Dhabi before the sunset while the F1 race take place.

This eclipse is special because it is a hybrid eclipse (also called annular/total eclipse) shifts between a total and annular eclipse. At certain points on the surface of Earth it appears as a total eclipse, whereas at other points it appears as annular. Hybrid eclipses are comparatively rare.

In Abu Dhabi, this rare solar eclipse will last for seconds to minute only. So, for the amateur astronomers and photographers grab your cameras run into cornice side and wait till sunset.  The scenery of the sunset will give a beautiful subject plus the magic of the eclipse added.

The group will be gathered near gate 1 (public beach) in cornice.