Tag: Comet C/2011 L4 PanSTARRS

Comet PanSTARRS – IV

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Last week the crescent moon was very close to Comet PanSTARRS and made for a fabulous image. With the passage of a week the moon is now past first quarter and becoming very bright.

Comet PanSTARRS above the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Comet PanSTARRS above the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

With this in mind a trip to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon was warranted. The combination of the comet above the rim of the canyon and the moon filling the inner canyon with soft light was extraordinary.

The comet is now moving away from the sun and gradually growing dimmer. Hopefully it will remain bright enough to get some photographs as it passes through the constellation Andromeda and near M31/Andromeda Galaxy in early April.

Comet PanSTARRS – III

Another evening and another set of photographs of Comet PanSTARRS. These two images were taken looking to the west at Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona.

Comet PanSTARRS and crescent moon above the silhouette of Cathedral Rock.
Comet PanSTARRS and crescent moon above the silhouette of Cathedral Rock.

 

Comet PanSTARRS and the silhouette of Cathedral Rock.
Comet PanSTARRS and the silhouette of Cathedral Rock.

 

Comet PanSTARRS – II

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Just a few days ago Comet PanSTARRS became visible to observers in the Northern Hemisphere. Today, the comet was located very near the 30h-old crescent moon making a striking pair of objects in the western twilight sky.

Comet PanSTARRS and the 30h-old crescent Moon -- with reflections in the lake.
Comet PanSTARRS and the 30h-old crescent Moon– with reflections in the lake.
Comet PanSTARRS and the Moon.
Comet PanSTARRS and the Moon.

Tomorrow the moon will be higher in the sky with the comet below. Another photo opportunity!

Comet PanSTARRS finally visible in the Northern Hemisphere

The anticipation has been building for many months as observers in the northern Hemisphere have waited for their first view of Comet C/2011 L4 PanSTARRS (Wikipedia; EarthSky). The comet has been visible to observers in the southern hemisphere for quite some time and the photographs have been impressive.

Comet PanSTARRS -- 1918 MST 10 March 2013.
Comet PanSTARRS — 1918 MST 10 March 2013.

The comet made its closest approach to the sun today (10 March 2013) and has been visible in the northern hemisphere for the past day or two (or three) but has been so close to the sun that it was difficult to see. Today there was enough separation between the comet and the sun that it could be seen about 30 minutes after sunset when the sky had darkened enough. But because it is still so close to the sun it set shortly after that so there was only a short viewing period. This should get better over the next few days and weeks as its orbit back out into the solar system takes it farther from the sun.

Comet PanSTARRS -- 1919 MST 10 March 2013.
Comet PanSTARRS — 1919 MST 10 March 2013.

The next best photo opportunity will be on 12 March 2013 when the crescent moon will pass close to the comet.