The Comet Holmes as viewed from northern Illinois last Friday night
Sheldon Faworski has forwarded us this photograph of the core of Comet Holmes taken last Friday night (11/9/2007). Comet Holmes, still faintly visible on clear nights, appears about 40-degrees above the northeast
horizon just after sunset, our astronomer Dan Joyce tells us, then transits (moves) nearly directly overhead by about 1:30 a.m. Early risers may see it about 45-degrees above the northwest horizon just
before sunrise. The comet has led to e-mails from many of you who monitor the night skies. Dan reports it exploded with no advance warning in late October, turning much brighter in the process. Though visible to
the naked eye, as what Dan terms a "softly focused planet", it can be seen more clearly through the use of binoculars or a telescope.
This photo from Dan's friend and astronomical colleague Sheldon Faworski, offers us a view of the comet with fascinating detail. Sheldon wanted us to know that our Dan Joyce produced the mirrors used in his telescope and that he (Sheldon) actually constructed the telescope through which this photo was taken. Thanks to both Dan and Sheldon for alerting us to the Comet Holmes and for the wonderful photo.
Tom Skilling
Photo courtesy: Sheldon Faworski
