Is the ‘Christmas Comet’ actually cracking up?

An incoming comet that skygazers had hoped would provide one of the greatest celestial shows of the century could be a fizzle.

So say astronomers tracking the eagerly-awaited Comet ISON as it races to a searing encounter with the Sun.

Formally known as C/2012 S1 (ISON), the comet was spotted by amateur Russian astronomers, Vitaly Nevski and Artyom Novichonok, on Sep 21, 2012.