[NatureNS] Comet Holmes

From: "Terri Crane" <terri.crane@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
References: <005401c820e2$4b91e750$0c02a8c0@pawprintq5vin2> <78888663-2152-4251-88C3-6712C2576705@xcountry.tv>
Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2007 19:15:03 -0400
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects

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>&nbsp;</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>&nbsp;</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>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>While out Nov 4th&nbsp;taking advantage =
of=20
the&nbsp;rare dark sky&nbsp;(provided by a moonless, =
cloudless,&nbsp;flat calm,=20
evening&nbsp;with the added bonus&nbsp;of no&nbsp;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&nbsp; =
10:30 pm. is=20
this Mars returning to the early evening "Winter Night =
Sky"?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</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>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</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.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; 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