Comet Holmes' Coma Expands
Eric Allen Observatoire du Cégep de Trois-Rivières
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.