Comet Holmes was an unusual looking comet, with its huge coma making it look almost jellyfish like. Although I only had my Nikon D70 and a static tripod back in 2007, the comet was bright enough (and big enough!) to take some single photographs as it passed overhead during November.

The comet went through the most massive outburst yet seen, as it brightened five-hundred-thousand fold. It expanded so much as a result that it eventually became even larger in diameter than the Sun!

Comet Holmes is a periodic comet which is due to return in early 2021. Whether it will be as spectacular as it became in 2007, we’ll just have to wait and find out.

Details: Nikon D70, Nikkor 50mm/f1.8 at f2. Single 15 second exposure at iso 400.

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