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> Thanks Sherman. I was a bit sceptical about this as our back (North) deck where I've been standing faces the really bright lights of St Margeret's Bay Road and I'm looking at it with only 8x32 binocs. Even so, it's very clear even with me almost fully light adapted (full dark adaptation takes ~30 min). At 11:55PM the comet was almost directly overhead, and clear though I could see a bank of cloud coming in from the east. The S-shape is also clear except at the very top, presumably due to the light pollution where we are and the only-32 mm binocs. So it is worth a look even in brightly lit Halifax, if you are still awake. Steve ***************************************** Quoting Sherman Williams <shermw@xcountry.tv>: > 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 = 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
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