Comet Holmes' Coma Expands
Credit & Copyright: Eric Allen Observatoire du Cégep de Trois-Rivières
Posted on 10/30/2007 2:55:24 PM PDT by sig226
Explanation: Go outside tonight and see Comet Holmes. No binoculars or telescopes are needed -- just curiosity and a sky map. Last week, Comet 17P/Holmes underwent an unusual outburst that vaulted it unexpectedly from obscurity into one of the brightest comets in recent years. Sky enthusiasts from the northern hemisphere have been following the comet's progress closely. In this animation recorded from Quebec, Canada, the coma of Comet Holmes is seen noticeably expanding over the past few days. Jupiter has been placed artificially nearby to allow for a comparison of angular sizes and scaled to the size it would appear at the current location of Comet Holmes. How Comet Holmes will further evolve is unknown, with one possibility being that the expanding gas cloud that started from its recent outburst will slowly disperse and fade.
Sometimes, an expanding coma is a good thing - you don’t have to read the flamewar threads as much...
Been looking for the past week, but the fog, overcast, moon have been in the way. This object should be easy if the sky is clear. The moon is shooting past Mars right now, about a degree apart; that at least is visible in this milky sky.
Houston, we have expansion, over.
In other news, Al Gore’s ego continues to expand and travel at an alarming rate.
I suppose that makes them Catholic neutrinos
Wow. Unfortunately, I don’t think the weather is going to cooperate for me.
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