SDO: Comet Lovejoy Survives Solar Close Encounter [720p]

To the surprise of many, Comet Lovejoy survived its close encounter with the sun on December 15, 2011, passing about 87,000 miles above the far side of the solar surface. These images were taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory; the approach and departure sequences each loop four times and show remarkable detail in Lovejoy's tail.

credit: NASA / SDO