Comet Pan-STARRS Viewing Tips From Eastern Iowa Astronomers

Look down low on the western horizon to see Comet Panstarrs also called Comet Pan-STARRS, a glob of ice and dust.

Panstarrs will be visible in the northern hemisphere throughout the month of March but will probably pop into view March 7, according to an expert at Iowa State University.

A photo of its peak can be seen at NASA.Com. Find additional tips for viewing on Space.Com.

The comet was discovered in June 2011 and is named Pan-STARRS for the telescope the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System, that was used in its discovery.

Another date to spot the comet might be March 10 when the comet will be closest to the sun, according to Space.com.

Here's more from John Leeson, the Eastern Iowa Observatory director:

The comet's full designaiton/name is C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS), the common name PANSTARRS is often used. Pan-STARRS specifically refers to the telescope project which discovered the comet. You can look it up for background on the internet. It is, in itself, an interesting project to discuss due to recent close encounters of meteoroids (the Russian meteor explosion on 2/15) and asteroids (2012 D14, which passed 17,400 miles from us on Feb 15). Finding such objects is the specific goal of project Pan-STARRS.

Prior to Mar 4, PANSTARRS could only be observed from the southern hemisphere because it was below the ecliptic plane (the plane of the Earth's orbit around the sun). It crossed the ecliptic plane at about sunset on Mar 4. Closest approach to Earth will occur (has occurred) on Mar 5 when it passes 101,000,000 (one-hundred-one million) miles from Earth. As it does, it will be slightly dimmer than the brightest stars visible now, so will not be visible during the day. It will then be only about 2 degrees above the horizon at sunset. It will then set (go below the horizon) just nine minutes after the sun.

To get the best views of comet PANSTARRS you will need a clear view of the western horizon at sunset. The less obstructions in your area of view near the horizon the better your view is likely to be. Also, keep checking up to date news on the comet. This is a first time visitor to the inner solar system by this comet, and sometimes a first time visitor approaching the sun will break up and dissipate and there will not be any observable comet head or tail. It will also be necessary that the Iowa weather cooperates as even clouds and haze hanging close to the horizon in the west will ruin the view. Finally, you will have a better view if you are west of any city or major light source that can brighten the night sky to your west. A trip to a park to the north, west, or south of a city might be in order.

Now, closest approach to the sun will occur on Mar 10, at which time it will start to be observable to the naked eye. Between the 5th and 10th it may be visible with binoculars, but with cautions. If you suggest the possibility of using binoculars be sure to include cautions. ONLY use binoculars to observe it after the sun has completely set below the horizon, or use the edge of a building to block the near-setting sun from your view while looking toward the horizon just to the south (17 degrees, or a fist width and a half) of the setting sun.

By the 10th, the head of the comet (the coma) will be about 11 degrees (a fist width) above the horizon at sunset, or will be setting about 45 minutes after sunset. The tail, if there is one, will be pointing up and a bit to the left compared to the horizon. At this time, the comet's coma is predicted to have a brightness just about the same as the star Betelgeuse (beetle-juice), the bright red star at the upper left of the constellation Orion, so will be easily visible to the naked eye starting at about 15 minutes or so after sunset. To see the coma, you will have to have a very clear view of the horizon to the west and just a little to the south from west. Note that on March 10, sunset will occur at 7:07pm Central Daylight Time, as we change the clocks ahead by one hour on the morning of the 10th.

The best time for viewing PANSTARRS will be from March 12 through most of the rest of the month of March. On March 12, the coma (again, the 'head') of the comet will lie about 10 degrees to the south of the setting sun and 11 degrees above the horizon and 8 degrees, or less than one fist width, to the south of the sliver of a crescent moon. It should make for a beautiful sight to see the comet, a possible tail, and the crescent moon. On the 12th the comet's coma will set about 45 minutes after sunset. If you have a telescope, the planet Uranus will be only 1/2 degree away from the comet's head, and the planet Mars will be a few degrees lower than the comet in the west at sunset.

After the 12th the comet will gradually get dimmer, but stay above the horizon for longer after sunset, so should stay about as visible. By March 20th, the spring equinox (first day of spring), PANSTARRS is predicted to be about as bright as Polaris, the north star, and be 18 degrees above the horizon to the north of west from the setting sun. It will then be setting about an hour and ten minutes after the sun, but by then the moon will be a quarter moon, which will make it not as easy to see dimmer things in the sky.

Here's hoping for clear skies.

With reporting from Jessica Miller.