TConnolly
Lifetime Supporting Member
Comet Holmes under went an explosive outgassing a couple of weeks ago and the expanding ball of gas is now larger in diameter than the sun but its still very far away so it looks small. The comet is actually very tiny and its not a kaboom/fire kind of explosion but rather a very rapid release of gas and particles. I have a 100mm telescope which resolves it OK (wish I had a bigger one) but Holmes is visible to the eye in darker sky areas. You probably won't be able to see it from the heart of a large city however I live on the outskirts of Salt Lake City and can see it. If you can't see it with the unaided eye it can usually be seen in a pair of binoculars except under under bright sky conditions. My kids and I have been keeping an eye on it for several nights now.
If you live in the northern hemisphere, the comet is just below the star Mirfak in the constellation Perseus. Mirfak is the birghtest star in Perseus. If you don't know where Perseus is then face north and find the north star Polaris. To the right of Polaris about two hand widths held at arms lenght is Casiopea. It looks like a lopsided W turned on its end, with the open top of the W pointing toward your left. To the right of Casiopea you will see three bright stars nearly in a stright line, but the middle star will be a little bit lower (towards the north horizon). Below this middle star about one hand width is a bright star. That star is Mirfak. The comet is a faint fuzzy ball right below it. It doesn't have a tail yet.
For our Aussie and New Zealand friends I understand it is also visible down under but I don't know the southern sky so I apologize I can't tell you how to find it.
If you live in the northern hemisphere, the comet is just below the star Mirfak in the constellation Perseus. Mirfak is the birghtest star in Perseus. If you don't know where Perseus is then face north and find the north star Polaris. To the right of Polaris about two hand widths held at arms lenght is Casiopea. It looks like a lopsided W turned on its end, with the open top of the W pointing toward your left. To the right of Casiopea you will see three bright stars nearly in a stright line, but the middle star will be a little bit lower (towards the north horizon). Below this middle star about one hand width is a bright star. That star is Mirfak. The comet is a faint fuzzy ball right below it. It doesn't have a tail yet.
For our Aussie and New Zealand friends I understand it is also visible down under but I don't know the southern sky so I apologize I can't tell you how to find it.
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