Comet ISON is still more than two months away from its spectacular close encounter with the Sun. Already, the brightening comet has become a good target for backyard telescopes in the pre-dawn sky.<br /><br />The potential "comet of the century" Comet ISON could either become a shining visual treat or a fizzled out chunk of rock and ice when it makes its close pass of the sun, but which will it be?<br /><br />As the comet moves toward its close encounter with the star, amateur astronomers are providing information that could help scientists understand more about Comet ISON's shift into brilliance or mediocrity.<br /><br />Video from Science @ NASA / ScienceCasts <br /><br />Thank you for subscribing - Tomas / NW7US<br /><a href="http://NW7US.us" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://NW7US.us</a><br /><br />For more, visit <a href="http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/.." target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/..</a>.<br /><br />To learn how you can help, visit <a href="http://isoncampaign.org" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://isoncampaign.org</a><br /><br />Amateur Astronomer Image Credits:<br /><br />0:11 - Nirmal Paul, Canary Island, Teide, 09/16/2013<br />0:31 - Nick Howes & Ernesto Guido, Liverpool Telescope, 05/02/2013<br />(Credited as an annotation. Apologies for the original credit omission)<br />0:37 - Knut Schaeffner, Verclause, France, 09/14/2013<br />0:48 - Theodoros Giaourtsis, Vrastama Halkidikis, Greece, 09/08/2013<br />0:54 - Pete Lawrence, Selsey UK, 09/15/2013<br />1:06 - Efrain Morales Rivera, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, 09/15/2013<br />1:25 - Christina, SLOOHs Robotic Observatory, Canary Islands, 08/29/2013<br />2:08 - Waldemar, Skorupa, Provence France, 09/05/2013<br />3:02 - Rolando Ligustri, Talmassons (UD) IT, MPC235, 09/07/2013<br />3:14 - Maximilian Teodorescu, Dumitrana (Ilfov), Romania, 09/07/2013<br />3:38 - Roy and Jodi McCullough, Salem, Ohio, 09/04/2013<br />...<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sORFEhzHPHE" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sORFEhzHPHE</a>