Major Comet Alert: C/2011 L4 PANSTARRS

 It seems that 2013 is the year of the comet, and indeed the first of two major comets this year is about to make it's presence known to those in the Northern Hemisphere.
 Comet C/2011 L4 PANSTARRS is currently zipping it's way through Southern Hemisphere, recently exiting the constellation Grus and about to enter Piscis Austrinus. L4 PANSTARRS has only been observable from the Southern Hemisphere thus far, but that's about to change in the very near future.
 Starting around the 2nd week of March, L4 will start to be visible low on the western horizon around sunset. Around March 10-11 the comet will pass closest to the Sun, and should appear the brightest during this time and will likely develop a long tail. It will continue the climb a little higher each day but will not seem to stray too far from the horizon.
 Early predictions of L4's apparent magnitude were set at magnitude 0 or brighter, perhaps as bright as -2. But current data suggests that L4 will only brighten as much as magnitude three. This is still well within the limits of naked eye visibility (the stars in the Big Dipper are around 3rd magnitude), however because of L4's proximity to the Sun and low position in the twilight sky the comet may be difficult to see. Binoculars and certainly a small telescope will be able to aid in observing L4 PANSTARRS.
 Keep in mind that comets are notoriously difficult to predict, and L4 may appear brighter or dimmer than predictions state. To add to the uncertainty, this is L4's first trip from the Oort Cloud, and therefore the first time it has been heated by the Sun.
 L4 PANSTARRS was discovered in June 2011 by the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii.