Comet Holmes set for celestial spectacle

The latest in the celestial spectacle category has arrived in the form of Comet Holmes. The flying fuzz ball, which, according to astronomers, was first discovered way back in 1892, is here again to grace the skies.

Astronomy journals, who call comet Holmes an outburst of gas and dust, say that it has added to its brightness almost 1 million times than normal. Comet Holmes will be visible from October 31, 2007 to November 4, 2007. Comet Holmes, according to the journals, will be visible even to the naked eye in an orange-yellowish color tone.

Though it is common knowledge that a comet usually brighten as it gets closer to the sun or the earth, Holmes is said to have got so bright very rapidly. The outburst seems to have given rise to a cloud of gas and dust to balloon around it, which in turn has made it more visible, they said. This is the second time Holmes has erupted like this, the first was in 1892, when it was discovered by a British astronomer Edwin Holmes, after whom the Comet was named.

Astronomers in India have said that the comet's brightness has increased a million fold in a week's time and residents of Delhi can watch it easily as a bright yellow star in northeast sky after sunset.

Even people who use small telescopes at home in the US would be able to see this unusual tail-less comet, said a report. It is also being said that Comet Holmes could even turn out to be the brightest ever recorded.

comet Holmes is easy to spot with your eyes alone if you know where to look. If you are lucky enough, you just might get to see it.