Natural History Wanderings

The comet panSTARRS is now visible in the early evening skies of Northern hemisphere until the end of the month. It can be seen without magnification in the southern hemisphere and is bright enough to be seen in twilight in New Zealand. In the northern hemisphere t he comet should be easy enough to spot after March 10th but you may be visible sooner if it is particularly bright. For best viewing you will need a clear view of the Western horizon – on top of a hill is good, a clear sky and a pair of binoculars if you have them. The comet should be visible just after sunset (if it is bright) and will be low on the horizon.

The comet will peak March 12 and 13 but should be visible through the end of the month. Shortly after the Sun sets look slightly to its left  and scan that area with binoculars or just your eyes. As the sky gets darker you may see the comet. It should become more visible as the sky gets darker. The comet will set early.

Read more about the comet at:  Comet panSTARRS – A simple guide on how to see it – |.
or NASA – Comet PANSTARRS Rises to the Occasion Mid-March