New Star in the Constellation Perseus

It has been reported that periodic comet Holmes 17P brightened over one million-fold over the course of a single day by the end of October, with backyard astronomers all over the world observing the new star in the Perseus constellation on October 24, 2007. Erupting from a very dim magnitude 17 to about magnitude 2.5, its star like nucleus instantly expanded into a round little disk, visible to binoculars and telescopes as nothing every seen before.

Yet in the middle of October, it had been simply a nonentity in between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars. Up until recently, no one know exactly what caused such an event, but scientists lately have been able to train the Hubble Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 on Comet Holmes in an attempt to shed light on what was actually happening with it.

The very first time the Hubble telescope actually looked at Comet Holmes was back in 1999, a time when the comet's nucleus of the comet was too small to measure it directly. At that time, astronomers had the ability to infer the nucleus' diameter. This was done by measuring it through its brightness, which was approximately 3.4 kilometers, which according to the November 18, 2007, Nobel Intent article, is about the distance between the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre glass pyramid in its courtyard.

Recent imagery sent out by the Hubble show three spurs of dust, along with a dust outburst west of the nucleus. But what they do not show is the clear reason for its tremendous brightening. Another comet, Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 (SW3), at another time was observed by the Hubble as it ejected a number of mini-comets after a similar brightening. The images from the ground of Holmes seem to possibly suggest that a large piece has broken off-resulting in some of the excess brightness, with it disintegrating into dust. But the images from space refuse to allow the Hubble to spy any of these broken-off pieces, due to its large distance from the planet Earth (1.6 AU). Yet none of this has been proved as confirmation other than in theory alone.

In November of 1892, the Holmes comet was seen also as a major eruption similar to that of today, with English amateur, Edwin Holmes, the first individual to see it. It reached a 4th and 5th magnitude only to fade in the following weeks with a second eruption occurred 2.5 months after this. Holmes was a regular observer of the M31 galaxy, referred to as the Andromeda, and saw a comet with a coma about five arc minutes across, with an unparalleled bright nucleus.

Amateur Astronomy


Let us not confuse Astrology with astronomy; "Astrology" is not the same thing as current day astronomy. It is the oldest skill. ("Astronomy" From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). But at all levels, it is the survey of the heavens. It is an endeavor to understand the make-up and the story of the cosmos. It is our tool for unlocking that learning. Amateur astronomy is very popular in most cities and small towns. It is one of those hobbies in which I would like to have participated. It is a superb hobby that is enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. It is the greatest and oldest hobby of all time. Amateur astronomy is exposed to more people, as an individual is less likely to be discouraged by the need to learn how to locate objects in the night sky before being able to see them. Some magazines and periodicals are printed forums of the activities relating to Amateur Astronomers around the world. They are user supported publications. Amateur astronomy is practiced as a hobby.
It is often a pleasure as it may be a way to act scientifically. It is, as it turns out, a pastime to be shared. It is changing and we need to broaden our understanding variations so that we can make the improvements as they become available and fit our needs. Astronomy is gaining importance from a scientific point of view. Amateur astrology is a lot more than just looking at extraterrestrial matter with telescopes and binoculars, although this is the main heart of those most active. It is an exciting hobby because amateur astronomers can and do actually make scientific discoveries and contribute to the field of It is. Advanced amateur astronomy books are now within the reach of anyone, and these are the ideal books to get you started.
To get really into it, you probably will want to get a telescope either for yourself or perhaps for your children who are showing an interest in the wonders of the universe. It is a hobby and can be an introduction to several practical and useful technologies. It is alive and well in the West, as evidenced by the many special interest groups and clubs that meet regularly. It is a rapidly growing activity that appeals in many ways to all ages. It is a hobby that many people pursue who are interested. It is, yet not working in the field.
You are sure to meet numerous new friends who will share your passion and curiosity. It is rich with activities, lab exercises, and high-tech education. It is the study of the planets and other objects in the universe and their compositions, motions, and origins. It is different from most sciences in that we can't directly interact with the object of study. It is a science that seeks to explain everything that we observe in the Universe. It is the study of the Universe and its contents: planets, stars, black holes, galaxies, and quasars. It is one of the oldest sciences. It is the study of planets, stars, galaxies, and the universe as a whole, including how these originate and how they evolve in time. It is an observational, not an experimental skill. It is the most primeval of the sciences, having existed since the beginning of recorded civilization.
It is not a totally serious specialty. It is the last science to which many non-professional scientists can make factual and important contributions. It is a great example of how fascinating physics can be. Radio astronomy is also partly responsible for the idea that dark matter is an important factor of our universe. Indeed, It is both the nearby and the most outlying science from common experience. That is why it is both the oldest and the youngest science of them all. And yet radio astronomy itself is a young science, too. The study of our universe is not new, it is the oldest science. Though, you could say that it is the study of everything, because everything is a part of the Universe.

How To Create A Solar System Science Fair Project

Science fair projects are very helpful to motivate the students towards scientific study. It also provides the possibility of observing the real world and related problems in a closer way. It aims to develop curiosity about science and technology. It brings about improvement in the manipulative skills, knowledge, and self-confidence.

Solar system began forming 10 to 12 billion years ago as a swirling gas and dust formed a dense core. To visualize the Solar system, understand the orbital motion of the planets and to locate the actual position of the planets the solar system science fair projects are helpful.

Some simple solar system science fair projects ideas include answering questions such as:

- Can we collect micrometeorites from the outdoor sources?

- Could the other planets support any life?

- What causes the phases of moon and what affects the phases of moon?

- How terrestrial planets are formed?

- Are there many other solar systems in the universe? Do they support life?

To study about the other galaxies and solar system present in this universe this project will be useful. A comparative study of why life is possible on earth and why not life is possible on other planets can be done in detail. Younger children can also build a model of the solar system and show the relationships between the planets.

Also consider looking at natural forces which occur in the solar system, such as exploring a question like, how are the magnetic fields affected by solar storms? Can we build a homemade magnetometer to measure that? The magnetic fields are affected by solar storms and cause small changes in its direction at the surface, which are called "magnetic storms." A magnetometer operates like a sensitive compass and senses these slight changes in the magnetic field. A homemade magnetometer can be constructed.

Can we identify black holes? If the answer is yes, how can it be done? By this project, the mysteries and curiosity about the black holes will take a shape and a clear knowledge about black holes can be gained. A thorough understanding of the nature of black holes is neceessary, and a lot of background information will be necessary for such a project.

You can make your own comet to know the details about the comets. A large comet is a spectacular sight and is a star like celestial body, which has a tail and still people have lots of doubts about it. To know better, this project will help out.

How to locate the position of a celestial body by a sidereal pointer? A sidereal pointer is an instrument that helps you to locate each celestial body in the night sky. How to construct a sidereal pointer easily can be discussed in this project in detail.

Solar system science projects are fairly demanding projects that represent a challenge. Each of the projects related with solar system science projects develops cognitive skills and help the students to leap forward.