Comet Lovejoy survives hellish journey through the Sun – where it's a toasty 1.1millionC - 16th Dec 2011

Comet Lovejoy survives hellish journey through the Sun – where it's a toasty 1.1millionC - 16th Dec 2011

Astronomers fully expected Comet Lovejoy to meet a fiery death – and with good reason. After all, it was about to fly through the Sun’s atmosphere where temperatures reach a staggering 1.1millionC.

But this week stargazers were astonished when the 660-foot-wide icy rock disappeared around the back side of the sun, coming within 87,000 miles of its surface, and emerged triumphantly out the other side.

This was the comet that lived.

What’s more, Nasa’s Solar Dynamics Observatory caught the great escape on camera.

After the dramatic event it tweeted: ‘Breaking News! Lovejoy lives! The comet Lovejoy has survived its journey around the sun to reemerge on the other side.’ Read More