TORONTO – He’s dead, Jim.
Comet ISON, the little comet that could, has succumbed to the power of the sun.
ISON was the comet that some astronomers had hoped would brighten our night skies in the coming months.
As it passed within 1.2 million km of the sun on Nov. 28, it looked to have broken apart and vaporized.
Hours later, however, scientists were surprised to find that a part of ISON had survived the trip.
READ MORE: UPDATE: Comet ISON lives!
Now, it has become clear that whatever had survived hasn’t lasted.
As of Saturday, whatever remained of ISON looked to have faded quickly, which means any hope of it being visible without the aid of a telescope, is unlikely. It’s even unlikely that it will be visible at all.
VIDEO: Comet ISON fascinates astronomers
Though ISON didn’t survive its trip, the fact that it was resurrected after most astronomers thought that it was dead, will keep scientists busy analyzing data in the months to come.
Thanks for the ride, ISON.
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