Howdy all; I had some time on Monday night and it seemed very clear so I made a = trip to Eagle Eye, about 70 miles from Phoenix off I-10. It was clear and a little breezy, great Milky Way and Zodiacal light = making a giant "V" in the sky. Comet Holmes is still amazing. A comet on the far side of the orbit of = Mars that is easily naked eye. If I directed my vision between the comet and = the Double Cluster so that both got averted vision, then the comet is = obviously brighter and larger. It is also easily brighter than the Andromeda = Galaxy. I think that my 8X42 binoculars are the best view. The comet is still = that same "jellyfish" shape with a parabolic hood and ragged edge. It is = still in a pretty rich star field and there are 8 stars involved within the = comet, even at this low power. Moving up to the 6" f/8 refractor and a 35mm Panoptic really shows some detail. The bizarre comet shape is in front of 24 stars that shine = through the coma and the central "spine" is an elongated area about 80% of the length of the coma and elongated 4X1. I did not see anything I could = have definitely called the pseudonucleus. It is a fascinating comet and well worth a trip out of town. Clear Skies; Steve Coe -- See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please send personal replies to the author, not the list.