Silent kaPow!

“When I first heard about this, it was still more of a telescopic object (increasing in apparent magnitude from 17 to nearly 2), but it's becoming more visible as time passes.

Now that the Moon isn't in the way so much, be sure to take a peek.... It's to the northeast in Perseus, just below the 'W' of Cassiopeia:





Article at Sky & Telescope

S&T Photo Gallery


>>> Java Orbit Diagram <<<



email from Spaceweather.com:

Space Weather News for Oct. 29, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

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. Since then the comet has expanded dramatically. It 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." Photographers, this amazing comet is an excellent target for off-the-shelf digital cameras and backyard telescopes. It grows visibly from night to night and no one knows how large it will become. Stay tuned to http://spaceweather.com for sky maps and the latest images.


Spaceweather Photo Gallery”

“Well, there's a lovely little naked-eye smudge over Perseus' shoulder.  Looks cool through a small pair of binoculars.... probably fairly nifty using larger hunks of glass.”

“I saw it last night! Coolness, I didn't imagine it!”

“Why aren't you an astronamer???”

“Who you jivin' with that cosmic debris?”

“It's more fun as a hobby.”

“

17P/Holmes has a pretty good Wiki entry. Check it out.

Its period is less than seven years, so it won't be too long before it comes around again.  It'll be interesting to see what happens to that debris cloud, especially during its next pass  (perihelion: March 2014).  Unfortunately, we'll be on the opposite side of the Sun, so we won't get as good a view. 
last edited: 11/02/07 11:41:31 AM”

“I'm guessin this has something to do with stars??”

“Yes..... er.... a little comet in the east after sunset.”

“my bad.
last edited: 11/02/07 11:47:10 AM”

“cmon hyway, take that to the other thread, we talking comets and stuff here.....
So, Tilt, what's this comets name....and should I buy some sneekers??
last edited: 11/02/07 11:47:48 AM”

“I did go out with my daughters and showed it to them. I wish I a telescope. I planned to make them one from this website I found for building one for $125, but after trying to buy the mirrors I realized the website was from 1998 and the prices had tripled.

Tilt, do you where I could buy a 4.25" F10 spherical mirror for a decent price?”

“Time for me to check this out.”

“Nope, sure don't.  I never have gotten into the hardware side of it much.  The most I've ever lugged around is a medium-sized pair of binoculars.  My main observing interests are meteor showers and they're naked-eye (primarily).

Dayhiker did some 'scope building, back in the day....

Or you could check out the Sky & Telescope site.... especially the resources down the left margin.  Previously there were two magazines: The Sky and The Telescope that merged some years ago, so they have a long tradition of 'scope building and operation.


Techntrek..... be sure to bring some binoculars (at least!).”

“if anyone knows anything about telescopes, what is the difference between an F8 mirror and a f10?”

“


Comet Holmes is enlarging steadily. Gary Seronik shot these images at the same scale at 3-day intervals, on Oct. 26, 29, Nov. 1, and Nov 4. He writes, " I used different exposures in all three to keep up with the comet’s diminishing surface brightness. It’s obvious that we’re dealing with a single eruption event here — it’s almost like watching a planetary nebula evolve in time-lapse."

S&T: Gary Seronik

”

“W'sup, Holmes?”

“"Tail Malfunction"....   Call the FCC”

“Switched from xm52>>>>>>>xm56

Do you read me Maj.........................................
.............................................?
last edited: 11/10/07 10:32:59 PM”

“
Space Weather News for Nov. 15, 2007
http://spaceweather.com

GIANT COMET: University of Hawaii astronomers have measured the diameter of Comet 17P/Holmes: 1.4 million kilometers. This makes the exploding comet bigger than the sun and now the largest object in the solar system. Not surprisingly, the comet is visible to the naked eye; with only a backyard telescope you can watch its gigantic debris cloud expand from night to night. Nov. 19th is an especially good night to look: Comet Holmes will glide by Mirfak, the brightest star in the constellation Perseus, and appear to swallow it. Visit http://spaceweather.com for a sky map and images.

(Note: The sun remains by far the most massive object in the solar system. Comet 17P/Holmes' diaphanous atmosphere of dust and gas, which is what the astronomers measured, contains less mass than a typical asteroid. In spite of its great size, Comet Holmes is a lightweight that won't be deflecting the orbits of planets or causing any other such catastrophes.)

ROSETTA FLYBY: On Nov. 13th, the European Space Agency's comet-chasing Rosetta spacecraft buzzed Earth, passing only 5300 km above the southern hemisphere. During the high-speed gravity assist maneuver, Rosetta snapped some fantastic pictures including close-up shots of Antarctic icescapes and glittering views of city lights at night. See the sights on http://spaceweather.com

Subscribe to Spaceweather Alerts: http://spaceweather.com/services/

”

“

Update at Sky & Telescope


The moon and clouds were both out of the way the other night and I got a chance to check this out again.  It's definitely naked eye discernable (larger and brighter than before), but still much better with small binoculars or telescope.”

“Pretty lights. what is it?”

“WOW its almost as big as rosie o'donnell”

“Looks a little bit like a galactic boob.

Very cool pic!”

“and more relevant too.”

“Click the link -------”

“More pix ---- set date range to 'all'.

Did someone mistake this for a political thread?”

“the breast of god?

"...they were big. The way you think of God's as being big..."”

“i gotta get some binocs or sumtin...”

“I would love to give someone a freaking silent KaPOW right upside his annoying little pea brain head!



oh sorry tilt...carry on”

“LMAO!!

Thanks -- I needed that.”

“your welcome :)”

“i'd kinda like to understand this..













but I don't”

“Well, the comet that blew up back in October is a fuzzy patch on the right side of Perseus at the moment (which is pretty high in the NE once it gets dark).   It's pretty small so some binoculars would be good to have.  Set the date range on the thread to "all".... There's a bigger starmap near the beginning of the thread.

It was just a very small comet that you would need a half-decent telescope to see.   And it doesn't go far.... It completes an orbit in less than seven years.... no big woop.... but this time after it came into the inner solar system and was on it's way back out ---- it popped!

There was nothing to stop or even really slow the dust cloud, so it's just gotten bigger and bigger.   It will be interesting to see how it changes.  ”

“It must have been one helluva 'pop' though.   They were saying that the dust cloud was as big as the Sun.... and that was like a month ago!”

“That boy ain't right!”

“You Know I'll take that as a compliment!”

“This Just In -------------------


NASA Science News for December 21, 2007

NASA-funded astronomers are monitoring a Tunguska-sized asteroid that will pass within 30,000 miles of Mars on Jan. 30, 2008. Based on data currently available, the space rock has a 1-in-75 chance of actually hitting Mars and blasting a crater more than half-a-mile wide.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/21dec_2007wd5.htm?list100250



Dec. 21, 2007: Astronomers funded by NASA are monitoring the trajectory of an asteroid named 2007 WD5 that is expected to cross the orbital path of Mars early next year. Calculations by NASA's Near-Earth Object Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory indicate that the 164-ft wide asteroid may pass within 30,000 miles of Mars at about 6 a.m. EST on Jan. 30, 2008.

"Right now asteroid 2007 WD5 is about half-way between the Earth and Mars and closing the distance [to Mars] at a speed of about 27,900 miles per hour," said Don Yeomans, manager of the Near Earth Object Office at JPL.

There is a 1-in-75 chance of 2007 WD5 hitting Mars; researchers can't be more confident than that because of uncertainties in the asteroid's orbit. If this unlikely event were to occur, however, the strike would happen somewhere within a broad swath across the planet north of where the Opportunity rover is.”

“I had a Tilty moment and saw that while watching the World News last night. 1-75 chance i retained but all that other stuff I didn't know how to post about....figured you knew anyway..and obviously you're on top of things.

and come to think of it I've still got my telescope from when I was 10 y/o!!! woot..NASA ain't got nothin' on me.!”

“For Sure!   LOL

(I'm on the email list for NASA press releases and whatnot.... and I do a mean copy&paste,   < G >)

You can bet things are hoppin' at the Minor Planet Center!”

“wonder if you can get this in a bumper sticker?
[
on second thought..maybe I'll email you that...
last edited: 12/22/07 8:13:04 AM”

“LMAO...tilt YGM”

“If you do, better give me a heads-up here. I check that Yahoo acct in my profile rarely.... like when I get the urge to read loads of spam,   LOL

Hmmmm.... something like....   "Kiss Your Asteroid Good-bye!"   (only less printable?   LMAO)”

“Roger Wilco --”

“its in your mailbox..yahoo that is.”

“lol...and I reckon that means theres no reason to add you to yahoo messenger.”