A comet in 2013: Ison headed for spectacular flyover

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Earthlings can expect quite the lightshow in 2013, thanks to the impending arrival of a newly discovered comet, expected for a spectacular flyover next December.

The comet Ison, a chunk of ice and rock hurtling toward the sun from out somewhere near Jupiter, could be the brightest in living memory.

"Comet Ison could draw millions out into the dark to witness what could be the brightest comet seen in many generations--brighter than even the full moon," said astronomer David Whitehouse, writing for the Independent.

Ison was discovered back in September, when a team of Russian astronomers spotted a faint blur in the vicinity of the Gemini and Cancer constellations, and confirmed by sifting through images from the past year, NASA said. It likely broke free from the Ort cloud, a field of endless bits of rock and ice leftover from the formation of planets.

The comet will become visible to small telescopes and binoculars by the end of summer, and pass by Mars in October. The tail will begin to form as it gets nearer to the Sun, with thermal heat warming the ice and releasing puffs of gas, and then:

Of course, it's impossible to tell how the "dirty snowball" might evolve between now and next year. It could be a total flameout--or it could be one of the great comets in hundreds of years.