New images of Comet Holmes
New pictures are coming in of Comet Holmes, this one an animation comparing the comet's appearance on successive nights, and showing its size relative to the size of Jupiter at a similar distance.
Here's a link to the Holmes photo gallery at SpaceWeather.com.
If you haven't seen it yet, step outside after dinner tonight, and look for a narrow triangle of stars below the (sideways) W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia, but above (and slightly to the right of) the bright star Capella - the brightest in that part of the sky. Holmes is the "star" on the left side of the base of that triangle.
But trust me - it's easier just to scan the sky below Cassiopeia with your binoculars. Holmes stands out because it is NOT just a pinpoint of light like a star. It's a striking gray blob, a fuzz ball. And it really is hard to miss. Or at least it has been all this week.
The Sun will run a story on the comet in Wednesday's paper. The forecast looks fairly good for continued opportunities all this week to see the comet. Don't miss it. And be sure to come back here afterwards and let everyone know what you saw and how you liked it.
For a telescopic view of the comet, consider the Maryland Science Center's Friday open house, beginning at 7 p.m. Or, try the observatory at Johns Hopkins. Here's more from Chris Merchant:
Hi - I read your article on comet Holmes. We are actually having a public viewing of the comet ... Wed. Oct. 31st and Thursday Nov. 1st at the Johns Hopkins observatory.
The viewings will be held from 9 p.m. until about 10:30 PM on both nights. We'll be observing with our 20" telescope.
Info on getting here, etc., can be found from this page: http://www.mdspacegrant.org/observatory
Chris Merchant"
Comments
It is a pleasure to come home in the evening and find a nice comet hanging in the sky over the roof. What is especially nice is that for the next few weeks, the comet won't have moved very far from the neighborhood in which it is right now. It is not as spectacular as Hale-Bopp or Hyakutake or even Arend-Roland in 1957, my first big comet, but it is a pleasant addition to the Fall skies.
Posted by: Rudi Lindner | October 30, 2007 9:13 PM
Wonderful. From a clear Colorado sky Comet Holmes is a wonderfully unique smudge. Only way I could find it. Last I saw was in the mid 70's.
Posted by: Mike Palmer | October 30, 2007 11:31 PM
You get a star atlas or wheel out, and get ready to search, then you step outside and it's *so obvious*!
In my 4" refractor I could easily see structure in the nucleus, differentiated shading in the fuzz ball and field stars *through* the comet.
Sensational!
Posted by: jouster | October 31, 2007 8:04 AM
I have been observing the comet from my home in Havre de Grace since the weekend. It looks star-like to me with the unaided eye, but in the telescope it does look like an eerie, big fuzz ball. It doesn't look anything like the other comets I have seen, but it is acting differently too- so that should be expected. My photos did not come out as well as the ones in the article, but if anyone is interested, they are at the URL listed above.
Posted by: Monroe Harden | October 31, 2007 9:56 AM
What a pleasure to show my neighbors the comet by just pointing to it. It's an easy fuzzy object to see with the naked eye and your map is very helpful. I had my scope out last night on our driveway for the trick-or-treaters and there were oohs & aahs as they looked at this very rather odd comet.
Posted by: Lucy Albert | November 1, 2007 11:51 AM
Lucy: Good for you. I went home fully intending to take the telescope out onto the sidewalk and show the kids the comet. But there was such a crowd I was afraid I'd get mowed down. I've never seen Trick-or-Treating like we had last night. Crowds of kids from the country came down to our townhouse development for more efficient begging. Cleaned us out.
Posted by: frank roylance | November 1, 2007 11:58 AM
There is a new website dedicated to Comet Holmes:
www.comet17p.com
There are links, news, a locator page, and it is updated regularly!
Editor's note: The url above appears legit. The information on the site itself is very thin, and seems to have been thrown together in a rush. But it does contain some useful links. - Frank Roylance
Posted by: dave everett | November 16, 2007 5:12 PM