APOD #5

On November 3, there was a brief total solar eclipse in Gabon, Uganda, Africa, that caused for the Sun's visible spectrum to change from absorption to emission. The normally dominant absorption spectrum was blocked by the moon, allowing for the spectrum, spread by diffraction grating, to be seen as individual eclipse images at each wavelength of light. The brightest in the image are the red alpha emission brought by Hydrogen and the yellow emission by Helium.

APOD #4

Sunday, November 28, the comet ISON was seen in predawn skies. The comet has increased activity with a much more complex tail, allowing for naked-eye observation in dark skies. The tail reaches just over 2 degrees in the night sky. In the negative view of the comet, one can accurately observe the tail, which has separated filaments. This is the first time ISON has come to the inner solar system, and may possibly join the December night skies.