DISCONNECTION EVENT IN 17P Holmes

[Outbackmanyep]

Disconnection event reported in 17P/ Holmes, images are strongly encouraged!
DE's result from a reversal in the solar magnetic field polarity (heliospheric current sheet), the ion tail gets stripped away and eventually a new one will form.


http://www.astrographica.com/index.p...g2_itemId=3154

Beautiful to watch!
Keep your eye on this anybody who can image it!

Cheers!

[glenc (Glen)]

Comet Holmes was magnificent last night, I looked at it for an hour with the naked eye, 12x60 and 20x80 binoculars and my 12" Dobsonian. The brightest part was like a large drop of water with a point on the south side and this was surrounded by a fainter U shaped area pointing north. The comet was about 40' across and much brighter than magnitude 3.4 M31 in Andromeda which was also visible. I have never seen anything like it.