[meteorite-list] Comet 17P/Holmes (continued and flashback)

From: bernd.pauli at paulinet.de <bernd.pauli_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: 27 Oct 2007 08:55:32 UT
Message-ID: <DIIE.000000C2000021CE_at_paulinet.de>

BORTLE J.E. (1986) Comet digest: P/Holmes, 1986f (S&T, Nov 86, p. 547):

This comet with a period of seven years was discovered in 1892 but considered
lost from 1913 until 1964. John Gibson recovered it again in early June at Palomar
Observatory in California. Although presently a very faint object and well beyond
the range of amateur telescopes, Comet Holmes gained fame during its 1892 apparition
after displaying two titanic brightness outbursts. Flaring possibly 10 magnitudes almost
overnight, it hit 4th magnitude in November, 1892, even though it was more than 200
million miles from the Sun. A second, less drastic outburst followed about 10 weeks
later. Until Comet Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak experienced a double outburst in 1973,
Holmes' activity was considered unique. No unusual behavior has been noted at its
subsequent returns.

Still clouded over here and therefore no chance so far to view it :-(

Cometarily
Yours,

Bernd
Received on Sat 27 Oct 2007 04:55:32 AM PDT