Comments on: Comet Holmes through my ’scope http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:33:30 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Cali http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/comment-page-1/#comment-134204 Cali Fri, 14 Nov 2008 01:33:35 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/#comment-134204 I remember seeing a comet when I was a little girl and it shruck through my town. But I don't remember anyone making a big deal out of it. I remember seeing a comet when I was a little girl and it shruck through my town. But I don’t remember anyone making a big deal out of it.

]]> By: Joyce http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/comment-page-1/#comment-53285 Joyce Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:21:47 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/#comment-53285 I thought I saw a point of light through the (Washburn University in Topeka) telescope on Thursday and Saturday nights, but those who knew better said it was the nucleus, but way off to the edge of the inner core of dust. Then last night (Sunday) saw a second point with binoculars outside the inner core of dust but inside the secondary circle of dust - two nucleus or a star? Anyone's guess? Really cool. I thought I saw a point of light through the (Washburn University in Topeka) telescope on Thursday and Saturday nights, but those who knew better said it was the nucleus, but way off to the edge of the inner core of dust. Then last night (Sunday) saw a second point with binoculars outside the inner core of dust but inside the secondary circle of dust – two nucleus or a star? Anyone’s guess? Really cool.

]]> By: Chas http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/comment-page-1/#comment-53284 Chas Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:11:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/#comment-53284 Clouds and rain for 2 days, then clear sky in Chicago on Saturday. Observed at 21:15 CDT (02:15 UT 10/28). Looked just like BA's picture, circular coma (6-10 minutes?) with kernel in middle. I didn't pick up a yellow color, it looked more white to me last night. Tried to take picture thru eyepiece, but had no luck. Daughter in Marquette, MI described it as "glittery". Clouds and rain for 2 days, then clear sky in Chicago on Saturday. Observed at 21:15 CDT (02:15 UT 10/28). Looked just like BA’s picture, circular coma (6-10 minutes?) with kernel in middle. I didn’t pick up a yellow color, it looked more white to me last night. Tried to take picture thru eyepiece, but had no luck.
Daughter in Marquette, MI described it as “glittery”.

]]> By: Bonfire, friends, and a comet « Mr. .NET http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/comment-page-1/#comment-53283 Bonfire, friends, and a comet « Mr. .NET Sun, 28 Oct 2007 17:04:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/#comment-53283 [...] Bad Astronomer took a picture of the comet, and my view through the binoculars looked similar though much smaller of course.  I was also able [...] [...] Bad Astronomer took a picture of the comet, and my view through the binoculars looked similar though much smaller of course.  I was also able [...]

]]> By: Kevin Conod http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/comment-page-1/#comment-53282 Kevin Conod Sun, 28 Oct 2007 04:33:00 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/#comment-53282 I was fiddling with Celestia yesterday and it looks like the position of the comet is such that even if it does grow a tail it would be pointing away from us and we won't get a good view of it. I was fiddling with Celestia yesterday and it looks like the position of the comet is such that even if it does grow a tail it would be pointing away from us and we won’t get a good view of it.

]]> By: Inertially Guided http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/comment-page-1/#comment-53281 Inertially Guided Sun, 28 Oct 2007 02:02:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/#comment-53281 The torrential rains of the past four days have ended, and tonight the moon is close to the Pleiades as I search for Comet Holmes... Holy Toledo! What a sight in 9x63s...and I am on a naval base with security lighting all around! Can't wait for a chance to catch this one from a darker site... Phil, is this a record-breaker of some type? I've never seen a coma so bright. Tom E. USN Guy The torrential rains of the past four days have ended, and tonight the moon is close to the Pleiades as I search for Comet Holmes…

Holy Toledo! What a sight in 9×63s…and I am on a naval base with security lighting all around! Can’t wait for a chance to catch this one from a darker site…

Phil, is this a record-breaker of some type? I’ve never seen a coma so bright.

Tom E.
USN Guy

]]> By: csrster http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/comment-page-1/#comment-53280 csrster Sat, 27 Oct 2007 19:57:45 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/10/26/comet-holmes-through-my-scope/#comment-53280 I got my 4" refractor onto this thing from Denamrk tonight and one interesting feature is the high definition of the edge of the coma. I think that sharpness, together with the near circularity, is what makes it look so "planetary", although it's much bigger than any actual planet - it looked huge at 100x. I got my 4″ refractor onto this thing from Denamrk tonight and one interesting feature is the high definition of the edge of the coma. I think that sharpness, together with the near circularity, is what makes it look so “planetary”, although it’s much bigger than any actual planet – it looked huge at 100x.

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