Rare Event: Easy-to-See Comet Holmes
By Joe Rao
posted: 30 October 2007
11:56 am ET
Only a couple comets each decade are this easy to see.
Skywatchers throughout the Northern Hemisphere report the newly visible Comet Holmes is a remarkable sight even under city lights. The comet, described in glowing terms by many observers, should continue to be visible to the naked eye for at least the next few weeks.
Holmes , is actually an old comet. First seen in November 1892 by British observer Edwin Holmes, it has since made 16 circuits around the Sun and should have fizzled out a long time ago. It made its closest approach to the Sun last May, yet never came closer to it than 191 million miles (307 million kilometers). The comet is actually moving away from the sun now, almost midway between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Not exactly a recipe for an outbust, since solar heating is typically what triggers comets to brighten.
But sometime late last Tuesday, Oct. 23, this comet underwent an explosive outburst and within just 24-hours increased its brightness almost a million-fold. Since then, Holmes has been putting on a unique display, looking very different than any other comet of our generation: It has yet to sprout a noticeable tail, while its head—called the coma—appears like a round, yellowish fuzz ball in the constellation Perseus, and is visible for most of the night.
Use the "W" as a guide
You can find Comet Holmes by using the "W" of Cassiopeia as your guide [map]. The five stars in a conspicuous zigzag pattern are high in the northeast sky during the mid-evening hours.
Draw an imaginary line from the star Gamma Cass down to Delta Cass (known also as Ruchbah). Extend the line downward about five times the distance between these two stars and you'll come very close to where Comet Holmes is. The comet itself forms a triangle with Alpha Persei (known also as "Mirfak") and Delta Persei.
If you have binoculars, you'll know the comet immediately when you see it: a small, albeit distinct, circular lemon-yellow cloud of light. A small telescope will help bring out the fuzzy details.
sup Holmes
Moderator: RLG MGMT Team
sup Holmes
We're in the pipe , five by five.
I’ve seen It! They finally turned off the soft ball park lights across the way and my night sky became more visible tonight. So I got out my bushnell binoculars and saw the comet as a big blurry ball. Tomorrow I think I’ll get out my telescope and find the coma - { the head) I’ve only seen a comet in the night sky once before back in 1997 so this is kind of a thrill for me. Sorry I forgot to put up an easy locater map.
We're in the pipe , five by five.
Comet Holmes continues to be an impressive sight to the unaided eye. The comet has diminished in brightness only slightly, and now clearly appears to have a larger angular extent than stars and planets. Astrophotographers have also noted a distinctly green appearance to the comet's coma over the past week. Pictured above over Spain in three digitally combined exposures, Comet 17P/Holmes now clearly sports a tail. The blue ion tail is created by the solar wind impacting ions in the coma of Comet Holmes and pushing them away from the Sun. Comet Holmes underwent an unexpected and dramatic increase in brightness starting only two weeks ago. The detail visible in Comet Holmes' tail indicates that the explosion of dust and gas that created this dramatic brightness increase is in an ongoing and complex event. Comet Holmes will move only slightly on the sky over during the next month.
We're in the pipe , five by five.
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Jedi Master
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PanzerMeyer
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Yeah, its just too bad that Hanson didn't wear the black Nike's and commit suicide as well!Jedi Master wrote:So we have comet John Holmes, named for the size of the...tail.
And Comet Mmm-Bop, named after an annoying teen pop group.
I have learned from experience that a modicum of snuff can be most efficacious - Baron Munchausen
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PanzerMeyer
- Posts: 4795
- Joined: 10 Feb 2004, 08:54
- Location: Miami, Florida
Aw come on Falkerr, the references that Jedi and I made are quite easy!Falker wrote:lol you guys make a good pair , I have absolutely no idea what your taking about. I’m thinking it’s sports or something. . Okay carry on, as you were. Thanks for posting tho, and yes.. bevis and buthead actualy came out of liquid tv.
John Holmes = famous porn star who was massively well endowed thus Jedi's joke about the size of the tail.
Black Nike's/Suicide = Hale Bopp cult members who took their lives thinking that they would then ride on the comet and into the afterlife.
I have learned from experience that a modicum of snuff can be most efficacious - Baron Munchausen
Heh , Sorry bro , im not that much into names on porn videos. I just like to watch the action. I haven’t seen the Jedi Porn yet , Buffalo!? Could you enlighten me on a few porn sites please. Ask Veg if you need any help.
Aye , I’ve heard of the Suicide comet killings a few times but never got into it that much. Last I remember It was brought up on Southpark. lol
Aye , I’ve heard of the Suicide comet killings a few times but never got into it that much. Last I remember It was brought up on Southpark. lol
We're in the pipe , five by five.