The above clip has my best 74x images of Comet Holmes, notice the size of the comet getting progressively bigger until it is bigger than my field of view of my scope set up. I played with with the last 2 images in photo shop to get below the debris layers to see what was going on again with the nucleus. The photo shopped versions really show how uniform the expansion of the debris field away from the nucleus is, very cool, also notice the green color in the second image, this is carbon monoxide gas, a by-product of the explosion/impact fluorescing in the sunlight.
Scientists still don't know the exact cause of Comet Holmes outburst which increased it's brightness one million times, there's 2 major theories; the comet was hit by an asteroid or due to the repeated warming of the comet's nucleus the protective ice subliminated exposing a piece of the nucleus which then exploded shooting 100 millions of tons of dust into space.
Comet Holmes is now moving away from us, it is 250,000 km distant, as you can see from above image it will be moving in the sky as well, you can now spot it on the other side of Mirfak in the constellation Perseus. It is actually getting harder to see because even though it's overall brightness has remained the same at around 2.5-3.0 magnitude the light is spread over a greater distance as the comet continues to expand from tens of thousands of miles across to now several hundred thousand miles across. Better get out and enjoy it while you can, won't be around for another 6.88 years and chances are unless it gets hit by an asteroid or has another explosion, you will not be able to see it, in other words, this could be a once in a lifetime event!
JD over at The Uneasy Supplicant , who by the way has an amazing blog, check it out, has awarded me with "You're an Amazing Blogger" award, I proudly accept this award. Awards are always good to get, shows that someone out there appreciates what you are doing. I will now pass this award on to some of the amazing blogs that I visit regularly, give them a try, from photos to the paranormal to totally useless stuff, it's all here.
Rand at My Paranormal Life ,
Anna at My Only Photo ,
DrowseyMonkey at DrowseyMonkey ,
Paula at self taught artist ,
JJ at Nature Shows and Dreams ,
Kathy at Photography by KML ,
Peter at St Vincents Darlinghurst Male Nurses,
Tatiana at Totally-Useless .
I don't usually give out this many awards, but it is Christmas time and to date I hadn't gotten these people anything, so, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
One final note, the The Saskatchewan Roughriders won the Grey Cup last night, we are all pretty proud here in Saskatchewan!
23 comments:
Thanks lots Bob for the video you posted and explanation about the Comet Holmes - I enjoyed both a lot, and the pictures of yours were amazing and you are good! at taking such with your telescope, so goood :)
Thanks so much also for the award, really much appreciated my friend you kind Pre Cristmas thought! (((HUGZ)))
Hi! Bob, I'm flabbergasted that you have given me this award and I thank you very much. I continue to be blown away with your images and facts behind them.
Regards
Peter McCartney
Bob, Comet Holmes continues to amaze me. Thanks for the great update post. :D
Thanks for the Christmas present. I'll post the award as soon as I can. I'm happy you're enjoying my blog.
Life sure picks up this time of year.
Hugs, JJ
thanks for the present!!!
Bob, I love how you managed to use photoshop to strip the layers of debris away from the comet. I honestly have to say this is the first comet I managed to follow so closely ... thanks to you. Great work. Keep it up.
~JD
PS Your blog oozes quality, a characteristic that has warranted a well deserved award.
100 hundred million tons of dust??? Hard to fathom...that's even more than what's under my couch. Very cool photos.
And thank you for the award! I appreciate it!! :D (And it's nice to be in such good company!)
Many thanks, Bob! I am honored with your gift and it is most appreciated!
LOL @ DrowseyMonkey - about the dust - I was thinking about the behind the bureau - too funny!
Thanks Tatiana, you deserve it, merry early Christmas!
Thanks Peter, I am very interested in your blog and anything to do with the medical profession, and you have a great blog.
Thanks and your welcome JJ, very busy time of year here as well.
Your welcome Paula, you deserve the award!
Wow, thanks JD, I very much enjoy your blog as well, makes a guy think. We are very lucky to have an event like Comet Holmes, gotta make the best of it, hence take lots of pics. :)
Lol, drowseymonkey, here it is cat hair, it eats the dust for breakfast, Im amazed our cat has any hair left on her, just looking at her makes it fall off. :)
Your welcome Kathy, I have cat hair dust ball combos, the hair is an excellent medium for the dust to collect, works well for the both of them. :)
Bob thank you so much and Merry Christmas to you too, I will say it later too when it is closer to Xmas. It is very nice of you but you did not have to do that, really, lol, really, lol. And actually I feel bad, because I haven't given you much from my side, so I will do my best again to give you good review once I give out this award. BTW as a said before - you're good with your youtube videos, and thanks for the update on the Holmes Comet. I was actually thinking on back of my mind about that the comet was hitting something, but my idea was more like going through a some cloud of rocks and dust, and just creating chain reaction of explosions. Thanks again, Bob - Anna :)
Hi Anna, thankyou and your welcome, you have given me great blogs to read, and hey, don't forget I'll be calling on you for the Geminids meteor shower December 14th,(unless its too cold) and then the Total Lunar Eclipse on February 21/08 the next Total Lunar eclipse after the one in Feb won't be until Dec 21/2010!!! oh my!!
I should be saying Oh my - I will be marking my calendar then, and I think there was something in Nov 17 or 18 that I missed, but mainly due to weather. I will take the note, but I tell you, we been blessed with snow lately, like today, and you know how skies look when it is snowing, lol. And you know what they say about February being very cold sometimes, but may be I will be able to see from my window, that would be great. Okay I am going to stop with complains, lol. Thanks Bob, and thanks for visiting my bloggers too, it is nice to see familiar faces not just on my blog but others blog. Anna :)
Hi Anna the Leonids meteor shower was in November, I missed it too, clouds. Lots of snow now and -27c, very cold!
Congratulations to you, Bob, and to all the recipients you have passed this award to!
Thanks Lynda!
Congrats to all the award winners!
Oh now I know what you meant, thanks for the award, now on to your post about owning a bit of the moon.
Thanks for sharing the link, but unfortunately it seems to be offline... Does anybody have a mirror or another source? Please reply to my post if you do!
I would appreciate if a staff member here at blackholesandastrostuff.blogspot.com could post it.
Thanks,
Harry
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