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Astronomers around the world agree, Comet 17P/Holmes is one of the strangest things ever to explode in the night sky. It's a comet, yet it looks like a planet with a golden core and a green atmosphere.

Yesterday, Comet Holmes shocked sky watchers with a spectacular eruption, brightening almost a million-fold from 17th to 2.5th magnitude in a matter of hours. The comet is now visible to the naked eye--even from light polluted cities--high in the northern sky after sunset.

The golden hue of Holmes' core is probably the color of sunlight scattered by comet dust, while the green fringe likely signifies an atmosphere rich in diatomic carbon and cyanogen (substances found in many green comets). There are reports that the fuzzball is expanding and taking on a lopsided shape--the first signs of a tail? Amateur astronomers are encouraged to monitor developments.

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There are reports that the fuzzball is expanding and taking on a lopsided shape--the first signs of a tail?

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I saw that while I was walking last night, didn't even think much of it.  I probly would have forgotten all about it if I hadn't just read your post. Very cool indeed, how does one go about locating it?  SW of the Little Dipper?

demius said:

any word on how long it will be visible for?

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Capatalistc nomad said:

i cant believe that someone beat me to this, i saw it on space weather this morning, i hope to see it in the skies toinght.

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Feels good to trump you at least once.
You almost always beat me to these things.

As for others questions, no one knows how long it wil remain visible or to what extent it will grow, if at all.  Comets are unpredictable.  And if you go to the site I linked above and start looking around you will find links with star charts to help you locate it.

I recieved an AstroAlert from Sky & Telescope newsletter yesterday, I wanted to have a look today but it's cloudy. Looking forward to the weekend.

namaste said:

how does one go about locating it? SW of the Little Dipper?

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"It makes its way slowly westward across Perseus. Its position on October 25th (0h UT) is right ascension 3h 53m, declination +50.1° (equinox 2000), and by October 30th it will have moved only to 3h 48m, +50.4°. For those living in the Northern Hemisphere, Perseus is visible all night at this time of year."