[meteorite-list] Holmes [17P], continued

From: Walter Branch <waltbranch_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:38:18 -0400
Message-ID: <00ec01c8178a$086aecd0$6101a8c0_at_BranchFamily>

>Stuck under cloud cover so dense that even the
>nearly Full Moon does not even make a bright area
>behind it,

We have identical skies. I have been observing for 30+ years and I can't
remember a time when every major astronomical event for over two years has
been clouded over for me!

I have missed eclipses, transits, grazings, GRBs (okay, we won't count
those) and probably more than a few TLPs!

ARGHHHH.

This is killing me...................

-Walter
________________________
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sterling K. Webb" <sterling_k_webb at sbcglobal.net>
To: <lebofsky at lpl.arizona.edu>; "Mark Langenfeld" <mlangen at execpc.com>
Cc: "Meteorite List" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Friday, October 26, 2007 12:01 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Holmes [17P], continued


> Hi, Larry, List,
>
> Stuck under cloud cover so dense that even the
> nearly Full Moon does not even make a bright area
> behind it, I have only your description and my
> imagination to work with, but your observation
> could be of what is in effect an "inner" and an
> "outer" coma with different densities.
>
> The reflectivity of the coma is dependent on the
> density of the particles making up the coma. The usually
> even brightening of the coma toward a "star-like"
> condensation (the nucleus) is due to the continuously
> increasing density of particles as you proceed toward
> the nucleus, and that uniformity is the result of a more
> or less constant rate of outflow.
>
> The appearance of a brighter (hence denser) inner
> coma could be the density discontinuity or boundary
> between the spreading and dispersing coma of the original
> outburst and the expanding "front" of a new and greater
> outburst of an increased amount of material that has occurred
> more recently and is now expanding outward.
>
> Wouldn't that be great? I put in my request for a
> magnitude 0 or magnitude -1 comet by Saturday night!
> Let's have a bigger, better comet (and one that will last
> longer than my clouds).
>
> Larry, if you know the field of view of your scope,
> you can estimate the size of the coma. Every arc minute
> at the distance of Holmes 17P is 70,680 km across (or
> 424,000 km per degree).
>
> Is it bright? Brian Marsden says he's getting nova reports:
> "This is a terrific outburst," said Brian Marsden, director
> emeritus of the Minor Planet Center, which tracks known
> comets and asteroids. "And since it doesn't have a tail right
> now, some observers have confused it with a nova. We've
> had at least two reports of a new star."
>
> Go, Holmes!
>
>
> Sterling K. Webb
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <lebofsky at lpl.arizona.edu>
> To: "Mark Langenfeld" <mlangen at execpc.com>
> Cc: "Meteorite List" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
> Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 10:02 PM
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Holmes [17P], continued
>
>
> Hi Again:
>
> We just looked at it with a 100mm f/5 telescope and it is clearly orange.
>
> However, it is also very obvious that this thing is "unusual." I thought
> that I had a focusing problem, but the scope was in focus.
>
> There is a beautiful circular coma, but the "condensation" is NOT
> star-like. It is about 1/4 the diameter of the outer coma! Never seen
> anything like this.
>
> Larry
>
> On Thu, October 25, 2007 7:29 pm, Mark Langenfeld wrote:
>> Even with the extra-bright full moon and the usual urban light pollution,
>> 17/P Holmes is a nice naked-eye object here in Madison, WI this evening.
>> The coma is suprisingly large and shows a bright, star-like
>> condensation or center through 7X50 binoculars. I agree with Jeff that
>> color is apparent, showing a yellowish --almost orange -- cast.
>>
>> If you haven't yet taken a look (and have clear skies), NOW is the time
>> to get outdoors and witness this most unusual event.
>>
>> Mark
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jerry" <grf2 at verizon.net>
>> To: "Meteorite List" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
>> Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 8:01 PM
>> Subject: [meteorite-list] Holmes [17P]
>>
>>
>>
>>> Just to update those interested, there is no diminishing in brightness
>>> in fact there may be a slight increase. It defintely looks cometary in
>>> binoculars with a bright center and hazy coma. And as someone said last
>>> nite, it has a redish cast.
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________
>> Meteorite-list mailing list
>> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
>> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>>
>>
>
>
> ______________________________________________
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
> ______________________________________________
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Received on Fri 26 Oct 2007 12:38:18 AM PDT