[SJAA-announce] Comet 17p Holmes viewing after the SJAA General meeting

[Rob Hawley]

We will set up some scopes Saturday night once the speaker is finished and
have a look at 17p Holmes.  Please feel free to bring a portable scope that
you can set up after the meeting.  I will turn off the Houge lights until
11PM.  Sorry there is nothing I can do about the nearly full moon.


I looked at it last night from my own backyard.  It is very different from
any comet I have seen before.  These pictures will give you some idea of
what it looks like

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11464817@N03/sets/72157602705273993


Here is an improved locator chart
http://www.robhawley.net/17pholmes.png

The comet is easily visible in an 8x50 finder as a non-stellar object that
is in a right angle with delta per and Mirfak.  Perseus will be harder than
normal to see in the sky due to the moon.  Start with the W of Cassiopeia
and look east about half way to the bright yellow star Capella.  

In a 10" scope you can easily see three distinct portions of the comet.  An
extremely bright nueclous, a brighter "tail" region, and then an a dimmer
almost circular "tail".  I say "tail" in quotes because I have never seen a
comet quite like this before.

Rob Hawley