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  2. It's big! Way too big!

It's big! Way too big!

By thescian on November 14, 2007.

If there's a comet that should contain its enthusiasm, it's this. Such a large ego in so little a package, like a baby wearing adult's shirt and gaily roaming around the house! From the linked page: Formerly, the Sun was the largest object in the Solar System. Now, comet 17P/Holmes holds that distinction.

Spectacular outbursting comet 17P/Holmes exploded in size and brightness on October 24. It continues to expand and is now the largest single object in the Solar system, being bigger than the Sun

i-e58fe92fb6ff8d326ef1b19b46b5325c-holmes_jewitt_071109.jpg

I suppose, like me, you have a minor quibble with how 'big' is defined. I mean, where do you stop the measuring tape: when the mean molecular density at the edge of its atmosphere is some 'n', '2n'? For that matter, how do we measure the diameter of the sun.. I am now so terribly confused.

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