Space: Who Knew, #2

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Comet Holmes larger than our sun?

What is the largest object in our solar system? Some might say the Sun...

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/071115-comet-holmes-size.html
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080205.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17P/Holmes

It turns out that the sun was NOT the largest object in our solar system- at least for a brief time. A comet with a nucleus of only about 2 miles in diameter by the name of 17P/Holmes held that distinction. In late October of 2007 the comet exploded dust and gas and its corona expanded in size at an incredible rate- within only a few days its corona surpassed the size of the sun! The comet's highly elliptic orbit lies between Mars and Jupiter.

For more information check out the links above!

Who knew???