Hubble trains its eye on an astronomical mystery~periodic comet Holmes (17P) brightened .. million X

Arstechnica ^ | November 18, 2007 - 01:53PM CT | Matt Ford

[Right Wing Assault]

Brightening caused by ‘global warming’ caused by too many SUVs on the comet.

[PeaceBeWithYou]

Hubblesite.org

[reg45]

Even though the comet appears to be pointing at us, it is actually moving away from us.

[weef]

This is very cool - I was doing the same the other day for the first time and saw the large fuzz ball. I had no idea what it was and unfortunately didn’t follow up on it but now I know. I really need to get a good telescope now.

[Fishtalk]

Surely it’s because of global warming.

[PeaceBeWithYou]

Somewhere around November 6th, Holmes got as close as it will get on this pass. In about 6 years it will come close again, but not as close.

Java orbit diagram of Comet Holmes

[Verginius Rufus]

From the chart, it looks like it hasn’t been observed on every visit since it was first discovered by Edwin Holmes on Nov. 7, 1892 (the day before Benjamin Harrison lost his bid for re-election).

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Re “Is this the one that looks like a big fuzzball?”

Yes and yes. It is very wide but its glow is fading.About a Magnitude 6 or 7. I’m viewing it from Arlington, Va. where it was very visible to the naked eye since early November. Now you really need binoculars to see it.

A great show and free.

And it does look like Al Gore.

[Wuli]

“Space” is not actually “empty”.

Mt guess is that on its long voyage the comet has entered a sector that for some reason has a greater density of highly charged particles for some reason. I would not be aiming Hubble, I would be aiming the telescopes that are not looking for photons (light) but for other energy wavelengths; and in that regard looking at what the data presents in regard to their density.

[mvpel]

Yes, Mirfak is Alpha Persei.

Puny humans!

[Kevmo]

bmflr

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I am under the ever present marine layer in the LA Basin so I have been missing out on this event!

[happinesswithoutpeace]

bkmarking.. Thanks for posting.

[RightWhale]

No, that’s the inner Hubble view.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks E.

· join · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post new topic ·

[aruanan]

How about 20X80?

[Robert A Cook PE]

If that orbit keeps getting out there near Jupiter, it may get dramatically changed over the few trips.

[Bender2]

Re: Puny... humans!

Well, since mvpel spilled the beans... I must admit I sent Omicron Persei 8 most secret military unit to Earth to harvest that most powerful aphrodisiac, Human Horn.

And sadly... they did harvest a large load, but they had an accident processing it into Human Horn Dust and that is what is causing all the brightness!

All that Human Horn Dust... wasted! Oh, the humanity!

Well, Inubda... if you want to fool around tonight--

Get into... your cheesebra!

[Hunble]

Comet 17P/Holmes is now the largest thing in our solar system.

The diameter of this comet is now larger than the Sun.

I have some outstanding images, but I do not have a method of posting them on FR. Oh well, websites like www.spaceweather.com have all the images that you could dream of.

This is perhaps the most amazing comet in my lifetime, and I have been around for over a half century.

[Robert A Cook PE]

I think that it suffered a near-straight-on impact with another comet/asteroid - a head-on impact would cause the head to blowup, but not deflect too much sideways or begin spinning with a noticeable plume off to one side.