[MIham] Fw: Possible Comet Outburst in Progress

[Frank]

Space Weather News for Nov. 8, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

POSSIBLE COMET OUTBURST: A comet discovered just a few days ago by amateur 
astronomers in Japan is gliding by Saturn in the pre-dawn sky.  Comet 
Ikeya-Murakami (C/2010 V1) is not visible to the unaided eye, but observers 
say it is a fairly easy target for backyard telescopes.  Images obtained 
over the weekend reveal what appears to be an outburst in progress.  The 
comet's coma (atmosphere) bears a striking resemblance to the coma of Comet 
Holmes, which famously exploded in 2007.  Check http://spaceweather.com for 
photos and more information.

SOLAR ACTIVITY UPDATE: After unleashing one of the brightest X-ray flares in 
years on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 6th, sunspot 1121 took Sunday off.  No 
strong flares were recorded for the rest of the weekend.  Nevertheless, the 
active region's magnetic field is complex and harbors energy for more 
eruptions.  NOAA forecasters estimate an 85% chance of M-flares during the 
next 24 hours.