(meteorobs) Comet Holmes: An amazing object!

[Skywayinc at aol.com]

Please forgive me if this is a bit off-topic . . .
 
These are some remarks I posted tonight on the ASLI (Astronomical 
Society of Long Island) list-bot about 17P/Comet Holmes; this was in  
response to an observation
made by ASLI member, Sam Storch.  -- joe r.
 
 
In a message dated 10/27/2007 10:10:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time,  
samstorch at yahoo.com writes:
 
The comet is indeed nearly as bright as Marfak (Alpha
Perseii) and in  the 14x70 Fujinons is HUGE, with a
light lemon-yellow tinge to the brighter  inside area. 
The overall "effect" is reminiscent of photos of the
Eskimo  nebula.




---------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Sam --
 
Just spent the last hour (9:30 to 10:30 p.m.  EDT/Saturday) examining 
Comet 17P/Holmes with my wide-angle (11-degree) 7 x 35 binoculars, 
as well as my 10.1-inch Dob from my driveway in  Putnam Valley, NY).
 
The following estimates are valid for 10:30 p.m.  EDT (or Oct. 28.104 UT).
 
I spent a long time trying to estimate the total  magnitude (m1) of the 
comet. 
Made comparisons both with the naked-eye and the  binos with Marfak and
Delta Persei.  That #$%^ Moon, which is now  pretty much in conjunction with
the comet . . . albeit well to its south . . .  made it tough, but I finally 
settled
on magnitude +2.5.  Even with the bright  Moon, however, you can tell with 
the unaided eye that Holmes is diffuse/fuzzy as  compared to Alpha and 
Delta.  With the binos, the beautiful  lemon-yellow color of the comet is 
brought 
out and it appears as a distinct circular  patch.
 
Through the 10.1-inch Dob, closer inspection at  46X and 139X brought out the 
tiny 
star-like central condensation, surounded by a  whitish oval glow, roughly 
2-arc 
minutes across.  This feature is noticeably  off-center from the stellar 
condensation.
Finally, there is the outermost section of the  coma, an almost symmetrical, 
circular, yellowish-white patch of which I  estimated/guesstimated using the 
10.1-inch
at 139X was a  "solid" 3.6-arc minutes in diameter.  
 
Yes, I agree with you Sam, very reminiscent of the  Eskimo 
(or "Clown-face") Nebula! 
 
A remarkable object, which can only get better as  the bright Moon slowly 
pulls area from this sector of the sky in the  nights to come!  And fine and 
dry weather
is expected for at least the next several  nights!
 
If any of you have not seen Holmes yet, what more  can I say, except:
COME(T) AND GET IT!

-- joe rao



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