Mystery Comet Explodes into Brightness

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Comet 17PHolmes is in super-outburst It brightened by a factor of one million in less than 24 hours. This comet currently appears as a fuzzy yellowish star-like object in the constellation Perseus and is well-placed for northern hemisphere observers. ...
Comet 17P/Holmes is in super-outburst! It brightened by a factor of one million in less than 24 hours. This comet currently appears as a fuzzy, yellowish star-like object in the constellation Perseus and is well-placed for northern hemisphere observers. Credit: Chris Schur

A once-faint comet has made a sudden leap from obscurity to center stage. Comet 17P/Holmes, now visible to northern hemisphere residents, increased its brightness by a factor of one million this week, going from magnitude 17 to 2. This makes it visible to the unaided eye as well as binoculars and telescopes, offering a unique viewing opportunity for sky watchers.


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