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Comet Ison grazes past Sun's surface
• http://www.bbc.co,Astronomers continue to examine the great ball of ice and dust, to see how it is coping with the encounter.
If Ison survives the immense heat and tidal forces and stays intact, it could brighten into a spectacular feature in the night sky.
An armada of special Sun-observing telescopes in space and on the ground are following Ison's progress.
Astronomers are hopeful the comet will pull though, but are realistic about the chances.
Prof Tim O'Brien, associate director of the UK's Jodrell Bank Observatory, said: "It's like throwing a snowball into fire. It's going to be tough for it to survive.
"But luckily, it's a big object and it moves fast, so it won't spend too much time close to the Sun. There is a lot of uncertainty."
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