Robby
02-05-2008, 09:42 AM
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0802/holmescomposite_pane.jpg (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0802/holmescomposite_pane_big.jpg)
Three Month Composite of Comet Holmes
Credit & Copyright: John Pane ( john at pane dot net)
Explanation: How has Comet Holmes changed? Since brightening unexpectedly (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071026.html) by nearly one million fold in late October, the last three months have found the coma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coma_%28cometary%29) of Comet 17P/Holmes (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071110.html) both expanding and fading. This spectacular composite image (http://cometholmes.googlepages.com/index.html) shows how the coma and tail of Comet Holmes have changed. Due to Earth's changing vantage point, Comet Holmes (http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/ gallery_holmes_page27.htm), out beyond the orbit (http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=17p&orb=1) of Mars, was seen in November nearly head-on, but in recent months is seen more from the side. Additionally, the comet (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGl-TZxGJUQ)'s motion, when combined with Earth's changing perspective, has caused the comet to have shifted relative to the background stars. The curved path of Comet Holmes (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071205.html) shows it to be undergoing apparent retrograde motion (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap031216.html) as the Earth orbits quickly in front of it. The extent of the coma currently makes Comet Holmes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_Holmes) over five times the physical size of our Sun. Anecdotal evidence holds that the comet (http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/icq/CometMags.html#0017P) is hard to see without long photographic exposures, but on such exposures the comet may still be an impressive sight (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051224.html).
(Via NASA) (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080205.html)
Three Month Composite of Comet Holmes
Credit & Copyright: John Pane ( john at pane dot net)
Explanation: How has Comet Holmes changed? Since brightening unexpectedly (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071026.html) by nearly one million fold in late October, the last three months have found the coma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coma_%28cometary%29) of Comet 17P/Holmes (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071110.html) both expanding and fading. This spectacular composite image (http://cometholmes.googlepages.com/index.html) shows how the coma and tail of Comet Holmes have changed. Due to Earth's changing vantage point, Comet Holmes (http://www.spaceweather.com/comets/ gallery_holmes_page27.htm), out beyond the orbit (http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=17p&orb=1) of Mars, was seen in November nearly head-on, but in recent months is seen more from the side. Additionally, the comet (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGl-TZxGJUQ)'s motion, when combined with Earth's changing perspective, has caused the comet to have shifted relative to the background stars. The curved path of Comet Holmes (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071205.html) shows it to be undergoing apparent retrograde motion (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap031216.html) as the Earth orbits quickly in front of it. The extent of the coma currently makes Comet Holmes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_Holmes) over five times the physical size of our Sun. Anecdotal evidence holds that the comet (http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/icq/CometMags.html#0017P) is hard to see without long photographic exposures, but on such exposures the comet may still be an impressive sight (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051224.html).
(Via NASA) (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080205.html)