Comet ISON photography contest readies for People's Choice 'Ballots'

While Comet ISON's appearance close to planet Earth in late November seemed far too short-lived, astro-photographers worldwide were quick on the draw, capturing spectacular images of this dirty ball of ice as it came into our orbit and before it faced its premature demise.

The National Science Foundation and Astronomy and Discover Magazine had teamed up to celebrate Comet ISON's arrival and sponsored a photography contest from October through the end of April. Now that the professional judging is almost complete, it's time for the people to choose a winner.      

Vote now for your favorite photo       

Who: Anyone can vote.

When: Feb. 16-26

Where: Online at https://ison.skild.com/vote

How: Just register on the website and start voting. You can vote for more than one entry!

Why: Ultimately the "People's Choice" award is worth $1,500 to the winning astro-photographer, so votes do make a difference! Winning images will appear in print in Astronomy magazine and online at Astronomy.com, DiscoverMagazine.com, and on the NSF website in April.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, its budget was $7.0 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 50,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards about $593 million in professional and service contracts yearly.