Space Industry and Business News  
A Last Look At Comet Holmes

On November 4th, Comet 17P/Holmes was about 2nd magnitude and spanned approximately 20 arc-minutes on the sky, about 2/3 the size of the Full Moon. Separate 20-second exposures through r, i and z filters were combined to make this monster 16-megapixel full-color view. The Megacam instrument at the MMT Observatory was used for this image. Credit: M. Ashby and N. Caldwell (CfA)
by Staff Writers
Cambridge MA (SPX) Nov 28, 2007
Comet 17P/Holmes, which dazzled sky watchers with a dramatic outburst that made it visible to the unaided eye, now is fading from sight. However, before it returns to the obscurity from which it came, astronomers at the MMT Observatory took a final look. In late October, Holmes brightened by a factor of about one million times when it ejected a vast cloud of dust and gas. That cloud expanded over time and now spans more than 870,000 miles, making it larger than the Sun (which is 865,000 miles in diameter).

On November 4, Smithsonian scientists snapped this photo of Comet Holmes using an instrument called Megacam, which is one of the largest CCD cameras in existence. Megacam holds 36 9-megapixel CCD chips, for a total of more than 300 megapixels.

Separate exposures through three color filters were combined to make this final, full-color image. Individual stars appear as a line of colored dots because the photos were centered on the comet, which moved slightly across the sky.

Currently, Comet Holmes has a total brightness of 3rd magnitude, however its large size on the sky (and resulting low surface brightness) makes it difficult to see without binoculars or a telescope. However, when it was discovered in 1892 it underwent a second bright outburst five months after the first. If Holmes repeats its historical performance, then this comet may offer viewers one more chance to see the show before it bows from the stage.

Related Links
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Asteroid and Comet Mission News, Science and Technology



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


Rosetta Swing-By A Success
Paris, France (ESA) Nov 14, 2007
An important milestone has just been accomplished as Rosetta successfully swung by Earth at 21:57 CET. The spacecraft will now be catapulted towards the outer Solar System with its newly-gained energy before coming back to Earth for another boost.







  • Bee Strategy Helps Servers Run More Sweetly
  • Electricity Grid Could Become A Type Of Internet
  • Google revs up profits as advertising revenues soar
  • Internet preparing to go into outer space

  • Sea Launch Reschedules The Thuraya-3 Launch Campaign
  • Thuraya-3 Satellite Launch Delayed Again
  • Russia To Launch Manned Spacecraft From New Site In 2018
  • Site Thefts Place Russian Rocket Launches Under Threat In French Guiana

  • Announcement Of Opportunity For Sounding Rocket And Balloon Flights
  • China to order up to 150 Airbus jets during Sarkozy visit: report
  • Time Magazine Recognizes The X-48B
  • Virgin to offer carbon offsets alongside drinks and perfume

  • Northrop Grumman Qualifies Extended Data Rate Software For AEHF Military Communications Satellite
  • Lockheed Martin Delivers Key Satellite Hardware For New Military Communications System
  • Boeing Demonstrates FAB-T Multi-terminal Link Capability To USAF
  • Successful Second Launch Of Skynet 5 Satellite

  • ESA And Inmarsat Sign Innovative Alphasat Satellite Contract
  • Dude, Big Screen TVs, Flexible Electronics And Surfboards Made From Same New Material
  • Bargain Basement Satellites
  • China Aims To Double Satellite Life Expectancy By 2010

  • Boeing Names Darryl Davis To Lead Advanced Systems For Integrated Defense Systems
  • Northrop Grumman Names John Landon VP Of Missiles, Technology And Space Programs
  • Dr Mary Cleave Appointed To Board Of Directors Of Sigma Space
  • Northrop Grumman Appoints GPS And Military Space VPs

  • NASA-Conceived Map Of Antarctica Lays Ground For New Discoveries
  • Rosetta: Earth's True Colours
  • Northrop Grumman-Built Hyperion Imager Celebrates Seventh Anniversary On-Orbit
  • TRMM Turns Ten - Studying Precipitation From Space

  • Galileo: Europe's answer to GPS
  • Spain accuses Germany and Italy of blocking Galileo role : press
  • Northrop Grumman Team USAF Contract For GPS Next Generation Control Segment
  • Raytheon Selected to Design The Next GPS Control Segment For Precision Navigation And Timing

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement