What up, Holmes?

For a little while, we have a new "star" in the night. That star, found in the constellation Perseus, is the comet designated as "17P Holmes." Spaceweather.com already has several pages of amateur astronomer photos.

The comet was discovered more than 100 years ago, and since then has made 16 loops around the Sun. It should have fizzled long ago, but just this week Comet Holmes surprised sky watchers with a stunning outburst, becoming brighter than any comet in the past decade.

Moreover, Comet Holmes looks different than any other comet of our generation. It’s tailless, appearing more like a round, yellowish fuzzball in the constellation Perseus.

You can see it with your naked eye in the northeast sky after sunset, to the right and below Cassiopeia, or the "W," (if you don't know where Perseus is like me). It would probably be easier to find if you use binoculars.