
It's not too late to check out the "exploding" comet, 17P/Holmes. Discovered in 1892, the comet grew about half a million times brighter in late October of this year. It's the largest known outburst by a comet.
17P/Holmes is now larger than the sun and visible to the naked eye in the constellation Perseus. Viewed through binoculars or a small telescope, it looks like a fuzzy ball. Sky & Telescope has continuous updates on the comet and how to spot it.—Dawn Stover
Image: John Lanoue
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Science is reinventing play, from extreme sports to gamification to ridiculous roller coasters to the playgrounds of tomorrow, and this issue is chock full of fun. Also, on a less fun note: Did global warming destroy my hometown?