During spring 2004 comet 88P/Howell was observed from the southern hemisphere, joined in summer by observers in the northern hemisphere. According to 42 estimates the brightness evolution can be best described by the formula m = 6.9m + 5×log D + 16×log r, resulting in a maximum brightness of 10.2 mag around Apr. 20. The maximum coma diameter of 4' (300.000 km) was reached around perihelion too. Until mid-June it decreased to 2' (125.000 km), where it halted for a longer time. Then, in mid-October, the coma diameter was estimated as 1.5' (80.000 km). The degree of condensation was about DC 4 at the beginning of the apparition, decreasing to DC 1-2 until mid-October.
Total Brightness and Coma Diameter
Andreas Kammerer
