Comet PanSTARRS to be visible in North America beginning 3/7

[terry107]

Get out your binoculars or telescopes! http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2013/0...be-visible-in-nighttime-sky-later-this-month/

Edit: Here is some observing info for the comet (shamelessly stolen from another site):
These numbers are for the next 10 days. All positions are for 7pm cst. Alt is the height, in degrees above the ground and az is the compass direction with 270 being west.


Date Alt Az Set Time
3/6 -.4 255 7:06
3/7 1.2 257 7:13
3/8 2.7 260 7:20
3/9 4.0 261 7:26
3/10 5.2 264 7:32
3/11 6.2 266 7:36
3/12 7.1 269 7:40
3/13 7.9 271 7:44
3/14 8.4 274 7:47
3/15 8.9 276 7:49


Observing hints:
The position angle (relative to the sun) of the tail goes from 127deg on the 6th to 50deg on the 15th.
The tail will look similar to a jet contrail.
Do not use the 7pm as the absolute time to look. Go out a bit early and give it a go.
Use binoculars or a telescope to see the nucleus. (stay away from the sun)
Watch for outburst! As the comet approaches the sun huge chunks can get blown off greatly increasing its brightness.

 

[Train]

sweet. marked.

 

[highland145]

Any part of the country?

 

[terry107]

Any part of the country?

Yes, so long as there aren't any clouds in the way. It should be the brightest on March 10th. On March 12th, the comet will be right next to Uranus, so if you have a good set of binoculars or a telescope, you should be able to spot both. The below picture is looking west on March 12th for North America.

 

[highland145]

thanks

 

[Gibsons]

Sweet, hope we have some clear nights.

 

[sixone]

Can't wait to get out with the cameras.

 

[ViperXX]

I thought at first it said Comet PornStar.

 

[rockyct]

Time to break out my Nexstar 5 then, or at least my 10X50 binoculars. I still can't wait for Comet ISON coming in November as it could be absolutely amazing.

 

[BoomerD]

I've been watching this in the news. I HOPE we aren't clouded over for the event.

 

[IronWing]

Here's my best shot. Didn't have much time between it becoming visible and it setting behind the trees.

If it is clear again tomorrow evening I'll go set up on some open land.

 

[sixone]

We went out tonight, but didn't get much. It was too hazy/lightly cloudy in the western sky.

My advice: don't bother trying to find it until the sun is completely below the horizon. You won't be able to see it with the naked eye, so take binoculars. You'll need a couple of seconds exposure, if you're trying to take pics.

 

[ViperXX]

My Brother in law took this pic from Albuquerque New Mexico

 

[rockyct]

I was able to find it tonight (yesterday evening) but I had to use binoculars. I got a few pictures as well, but they're pretty noisy images. At the zoom I was using and the exposure length, the earth rotates quite a bit. If I had my telescope up I could piggyback the camera on it and track.

 

[BoomerD]

It's been too cloudy and rainy here...

 

[Nohr]

I took these this evening here in TX. Despite knowing it's exact position I still couldn't spot the comet with the naked eye through the remaining daylight.

And here's a rushed 250mm shot I snapped really quick right before the comet set.

250mm full crop with extreme noise reduction. Uranus is to the lower right of the comet.

 

[Nohr]

Any more pics?

 

[Triumph]

marked!

 

[olds]

Get out your binoculars or telescopes! http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2013/0...be-visible-in-nighttime-sky-later-this-month/

Edit: Here is some observing info for the comet (shamelessly stolen from another site):
These numbers are for the next 10 days. All positions are for 7pm cst. Alt is the height, in degrees above the ground and az is the compass direction with 270 being west.


Date Alt Az Set Time
3/6 -.4 255 7:06
3/7 1.2 257 7:13
3/8 2.7 260 7:20
3/9 4.0 261 7:26
3/10 5.2 264 7:32
3/11 6.2 266 7:36
3/12 7.1 269 7:40
3/13 7.9 271 7:44
3/14 8.4 274 7:47
3/15 8.9 276 7:49


Observing hints:
The position angle (relative to the sun) of the tail goes from 127deg on the 6th to 50deg on the 15th.
The tail will look similar to a jet contrail.
Do not use the 7pm as the absolute time to look. Go out a bit early and give it a go.
Use binoculars or a telescope to see the nucleus. (stay away from the sun)
Watch for outburst! As the comet approaches the sun huge chunks can get blown off greatly increasing its brightness.

techs, why do you have two accounts?

 

[IronWing]

My best shot tonight.

 

[sixone]

We froze our buns off tonight, but never saw the comet. Too much haze/clouds in the west.

Did get a bitchin photo of Jupiter and four moons, without a telescope, even.