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Index of Subjects This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_005A_01C82172.801187C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi Sherman As always your postings are a very informative and interesting read. I've actualy been using the center two stars of Cassiopea as a pointer = to Comet Holmes. While out Nov 4th taking advantage of the rare dark sky (provided by a = moonless, cloudless, flat calm, evening with the added bonus of no light = polution because of the power outage) doing some sky watching and = atempting to do some photography. I noticed what I thought was Mars = riseing in the east at around 10:30 pm. is this Mars returning to the = early evening "Winter Night Sky"? Thanks for your help Tom K Canso ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Sherman Williams=20 To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20 Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2007 6:00 PM Subject: [NatureNS] Comet Holmes If you haven't had a look at Comet Holmes recently, this may be a good = night to have another look, especially in your binoculars. It has not = shifted much; it still forms a nice triangle with the same two Perseus = stars (Alpha and Delta Persei), nicely up in the NE between 7 and 8 p.m, = by midnight the triangle is nearly overhead. The apparent diameter of = the comet has expanded to nearly 2/3 of the Full Moon diameter. In a = dark sky and with the observer having dark adapted eyes, a faint tail is = now beginning to be visible in a pair of 10 X 50 binoculars. Holmes is 1.6 AU away from us (13 minutes at light speed =3D 13 = light-minutes away). Its actual diameter as we see it in binoculars is a = bit over 1 million km. Also, if looking at the comet with binoculars, I suggest a look at the = star field that includes Apha Persei (the bright star just above = Holmes). The bright group of stars form a nice "S" pattern (tipped over = to the right). This is a beautiful cluster of associated stars, = including Alpha Persei, known as Melotte 20. The group is in the order = of 550 light years away. If you are in a dark location you will also notice that the Milky Way = (the equatorial view of our galaxy) extends up from Perseus and angles = to the northwest. Located in the Milky Way, just a bit above Perseus = and to the left is a group of 5 bright stars that form, sort of a "W" = tipped side ways to the left. This is Cassiopea. If you scan between = Perseus and Cassiopea, along the line of the Milky Way, you may see a = fuzzy patch of light. Certainly it is very noticable in binoculars. = This is the Double Cluster of Perseus. These are two open star = clusters, each containing between 150 to 200 suns. The clusters are = about 7000 light years away. This is just a bit of the interesting piece of sky Comet Holmes finds = itself in. Sherman Sherman Williams shermw@xcountry.tv ------=_NextPart_000_005A_01C82172.801187C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; = charset=3Diso-8859-1"> <META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1561" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY=20 style=3D"WORD-WRAP: break-word; khtml-nbsp-mode: space; = khtml-line-break: after-white-space"=20 bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hi Sherman</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As always your postings are a very = informative and=20 interesting read.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I've actualy been using the center two = stars of=20 <FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>Cassiopea as a pointer to Comet=20 Holmes.</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>While out Nov 4th taking advantage = of=20 the rare dark sky (provided by a moonless, = cloudless, flat calm,=20 evening with the added bonus of no light polution because = of the=20 power outage) doing some sky watching and atempting to do some = photography. I=20 noticed what I thought was Mars riseing in the east at around = 10:30 pm. is=20 this Mars returning to the early evening "Winter Night = Sky"?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thanks for your help</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Tom K</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Canso</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20 style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV=20 style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B>=20 <A title=3Dshermw@xcountry.tv = href=3D"mailto:shermw@xcountry.tv">Sherman=20 Williams</A> </DIV> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20 href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A> = </DIV> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, November 07, = 2007 6:00=20 PM</DIV> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [NatureNS] Comet = Holmes</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV>If you haven't had a look at Comet Holmes recently, = this may be=20 a good night to have another look, especially in your = binoculars. It has=20 not shifted much; it still forms a nice triangle with the same two = Perseus=20 stars (Alpha and Delta Persei), nicely up in the NE between 7 and 8 = p.m, by=20 midnight the triangle is nearly overhead. The apparent diameter = of the=20 comet has expanded to nearly 2/3 of the Full Moon diameter. In a dark = sky and=20 with the observer having dark adapted eyes, a faint tail is now = beginning to=20 be visible in a pair of 10 X 50 binoculars. <DIV><BR class=3Dkhtml-block-placeholder></DIV> <DIV>Holmes is 1.6 AU away from us (13 minutes at light speed =3D 13=20 light-minutes away). Its actual diameter as we see it in binoculars is = a bit=20 over 1 million km.</DIV> <DIV><BR class=3Dkhtml-block-placeholder