(If you already received this message through MARS-Update, I
apologize for the duplication.)

Hello, friends.

Comet 17P/Holmes just won't stop amazing us. Please check it out if
you can. Last week, Comet 17P/Holmes shocked sky watchers around the
world with a sudden million-fold increase in brightness. It
literally exploded into view, rapidly becoming a naked eye "star" in
the constellation Perseus. Following the comet's outburst last week,
the comet's coma, or outer cloud of gas and dust, is now physically
larger than the planet Jupiter and subtends an angle in the night
sky similar to the Moon's Sea of Tranquility, the right eye of
the "Man in the Moon."

I have learned that it was an explosion/eruption of gas and dust
similar to this that allowed the comet to be discovered in 1892 by
British astronomer Edwin Holmes. I also understand that this is an
excellent imaging target for off-the-shelf digital cameras and
backyard telescopes. At this point, no one knows how large the
comet will become.

The comet is still located just to the East (left) of the
constellation Perseus. If you are in the Tampa Bay area, Perseus
will rise in the North East about 7PM and be completely above the
horizon just after 8PM. Comet 17P/Holmes should be visible roughly
to the East (left) of Epsilon Persei (the thigh of Perseus) which
shines at magnitude 2.89.

BACKGROUND: Comet 17P/Holmes was discovered by British astronomer
Edwin Holmes (1842-1919) on November 6, 1892 while conducting
regular observations of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). The orbital
specifics for the comet are as follows: Aphelion distance, 5.2004
AU; Perihelion distance, 2.1655 AU; Semi-major axis, 3.618 AU ;
Eccentricity, 0.4120; Orbital period, 7.0679 a (Julian years,
lasting 362.25 days); Inclination, 19.1877°; Last perihelion, May 4,
2007; Next perihelion (predicted), March 27, 2014.

For more details and new information, check out these Web pages:

Space Weather Home Page:
http://spaceweather.com/

Space Weather Sky Chart:
http://spaceweather.com/images2007/24oct07/skymap_north_holmes.gif?
PHPSESSID=ctmhv5tmpkfnk942ajcl3k17o7

Sky and Telescope Article:
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/home/10862521.html

Clear Skies,
Jimmy Thomas
http://www.roamingastronomer.com