Sudden brightening of Comet Holmes

Right then,

Typical. Just as I started to think astronomy was getting dull - the southern sky which I often survey with my scope is pretty dull this time of year until the real autumn stuff comes - a new comet has appeared literally overnight. This comet is said to have increased in brightness a million times and is located in an extremely beautiful part of the sky, th
e region of stars around the brightest star in Perseus, named Mirphak (or Mirfak in the link). Mirphak is also known as Alpha Perseii as it is the brightest
. It is one of my favourite areas of the sky to wander with binoculars as surrounding this star are beautiful yellow stars. Quite a sight even without a comet. So next clear night go and try to find it. It has got a lot of astro people excited already this morning.

You heard it here first.

I also want to tell you soon all about the second brightest star named Algol, which "blinks" out every two and a half days or so.

Anything to do with batteries?

I'm sorry I don't understand.

It blinks out every now and again. My torch does that and it's usually the batteries.

Maybe it's line of sight is interrupted by some other thing like a planet orbitting a sun every other day or so.

Nah, it's either the batteries or a loose connection. Believe me, I've just repaired a 5-Gang Nabenschaltung.

Some nice pictures of Comet Holmes on the Astronomy Picture Of the Day site:

26 Oct: Comet Holmes in Outburst
29 Oct: A Telescopic View of Erupting Comet Holmes
30 Oct: Comet Holmes' coma expands - Animation showing the expanding coma

The comet's coma has grown larger than the planet Jupiter.

Well here is my digtial pic taken with my Canon 350D last week when it was in the constellation of Perseus. Sorry my Photoshop skills are utter crap as I can't put a ring round the comet to show newbies where it is but maybe someone else will for me!

Today's Astronomy Picture Of the Day features Comet Holmes as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. They're still trying to solve the mystery of why it brightened. But surely that's elementary, my dear Watson.