Comet 17P/Holmes

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Photographer:

Mike Olason

Location of Photo:

Tucson, Arizona

Date/Time of photo:

24 May 2021, 1107 UT

Equipment:

11" SCT and STF-8300M CCD Camera

Description:

Comet 17P/Holmes is best remembered for it's outburst back in October 2007 when in one day it brightened 1 million times as seen from Earth. In these images 17P is magnitude 15.1 and 283 million miles from Earth. The comet actually made it's close approach to Earth back in July 2020 at 159 million miles and was at perihelion in it's 6.93 year orbit in February 2021 when it was 192 million miles from the Sun and brightened to magnitude 15, the comet will slowly dim as it now moves away from the Sun and Earth.