Death-Defying Comet: Photos of Comet Lovejoy's Dive Through Sun

Comet Lovejoy from ISS

This busy night time panorama was photographed by one of the Expedition 30 crew members from the International Space Station on Dec. 26, 2011.

Christmas Comet Lovejoy at Paranal

This photo comes from a time-lapse sequence taken by Gabriel Brammer from ESO just two days ago on 22 December 2011. Gabriel was finishing his night shift as support astronomer at the Paranal Observatory when the comet rose over the horizon just before dawn.

Comet Lovejoy from ISS

Comet Lovejoy is visible near Earth’s horizon in this nighttime image photographed by NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 commander, onboard the International Space Station on Dec. 21, 2011.

Christmas Comet Lovejoy

European Southern Observatory optician Guillaume Blanchard captured this marvellous wide-angle photo of Comet Lovejoy on 22 December 2011 as it appeared over Paranal Observatory in Chile.

Comet Lovejoy From Space Station

International Space Station Commander Dan Burbank captured spectacular imagery of Comet Lovejoy from about 240 miles above the Earth’s horizon on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011.

Comet Lovejoy Over Santiago de Chile

This beautiful dawn photo of Comet Lovejoy over Santiago de Chile was taken by ESO Photo Ambassador Yuri Beletsky on 22 December 2011 at 05:00 in the morning.

Comet Lovejoy's Death-Defying Sun Dive

Comet Lovejoy skimmed across the Sun's edge about 140,000 km above the surface late Dec. 15 and early Dec. 16, 2011, furiously brightening and vaporizing as it approached the Sun. This images shows the comet during that time as seen by the SOHO spacecraft.

Comet Lovejoy Starts Sun Dive

Comet Lovejoy skimmed across the Sun's edge about 140,000 km above the surface late Dec. 15, 2011, furiously vaporizing as it approached the stellar surface and later emerged from the other side. On approach (above), the comet's tail waggled as it interacted with the magnetic field of the Sun's atmosphere.

Comet Lovejoy From Space Station 3

Comet Lovejoy is visible near Earth’s horizon in this nighttime image photographed by NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 commander, onboard the International Space Station on Dec. 21, 2011.

Comet Lovejoy Survives Sun Dive

Comet Lovejoy skimmed across the Sun's edge about 140,000 km above the surface late Dec. 15, 2011, furiously vaporizing as it approached the stellar surface and later emerged from the other side. This image from the Solar Dynamics Observatory shows the comet after the encounter.

Comet Lovejoy From Space Station 2

Comet Lovejoy is visible near Earth’s horizon in this nighttime image photographed by NASA astronaut Dan Burbank, Expedition 30 commander, onboard the International Space Station on Dec. 21, 2011.