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Comet Unexpectedly Brightens a Millionfold

Posted by kdawson on from the portents-in-the-heavens dept.

swordgeek writes "Comet 17P/Holmes, a relatively obscure and (until a few days ago) dim object, has suddenly flared to be literally a million times brighter, going from magnitude 18 to 2.8. It is just outside of the constellation Perseus, which puts it high in the sky and ideal for viewing at this time of year. The comet still appears starlike even in binoculars but should grow to several arcminutes across over the next few nights. The comet is now readily visible to the naked eye. This is a completely unexpected once-in-a-lifetime event, so get out your finest optics (even if it's just your eyes) and go comet watching!"

9 of 276 comments (clear)

  1. Re:we need a comet, a big one by jcicora · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Does Halley's comet not count??

  2. Perhaps I'll go look. by camperdave · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Perhaps I'll go look. Despite all the hype, Halley was a bust. Kohoutek may have been the comet of the century, but that was last century. I hope this one doesn't disappoint.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    1. Re:Perhaps I'll go look. by hypnagogue · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Despite all the hype, Halley was a bust.
      Baloney. It was beautiful in March and April 1986, by far the best comet views in my lifetime, with a bright detailed tail 8 degrees long. Hyukatake and Hale-Bopp were good, but not that good.

      Let me guess, you went out to see Halley in October or November of 1985, before perihelion, long before peak, when it was in the night sky. Sorry, the views were in the spring, in the morning sky. Just like they were telling folks on the news; no one listened.

      --
      Liberty you never use is liberty you lose.
  3. explanation? by dr_tube · · Score: 0, Interesting

    So what could have caused this to happen? No explanation?

  4. Why? by squoozer · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Does anyone have any idea why this comet has suddenly got so much brighter? Presumably it is flying past a star but surely it would do this on a fairly regular basis.

    --
    I used to have a better sig but it broke.
  5. Earth to comet: Y R U so late? by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I remember a group of people waiting for you. Some 32 people in some large farm house or something in California. All wearing some kind of black clothing and Nike shoes. They took your promise to come in 1999 or so and committed suicide but you are coming so late. OK atleast the rest of the believers can now die and meet you.

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  6. Odd behavior by Muad'Dave · · Score: 5, Interesting

    According to SpaceWeather.com, not only did the comet brighten unexpectedly, it "... has no tail, [and] a remarkable golden color ...". Unless the geometry of the sun-earth-comet trio is such that the tail is pointing directly away from the earth, you'd think there'd be a massive tail given the million-fold increase in brightness.

    --
    Tiller's Rule: Never use a word in written form that you've only heard and never read. You will end up looking foolish.
  7. I got a photo of it through my telescope by yeremein · · Score: 5, Interesting

    here. There was no visible tail, just a fuzzy circle.

  8. THAT'S what that is! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Was wondering what that gold stationary object I was seeing after 9pm just between those 2 trees was.

    Knew it wasn't a planet as none of them seem gold, and planets tend to move with the sky...

    Good to know that I can recognize new objects at night without having to be informed of them, prior.