If you have yet to see Comet L4 Pan-STARRS, you better take a look soon. It wont be long before she zooms out of sight.
Now the comet is still visible, but only with the help of some optical aid. Now at around magnitude +5, it is no longer visible to the naked eye. You will at the very least need some binoculars, but a small to medium powered telescope will afford you the best views. Although it's peak has come and gone and the huge, fan-shaped tail has started to fade, it is still a sight worth seeing.
For those who live in the higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, L4 is now circumpolar...meaning it does not set or rise anymore, but rather appears to rotate around the celestial north pole. This means for you lucky bunch, the comet is visible all night. Further south, the comet is not circumpolar but can still be seen twice in a 12 hour period. It will set in the north/northwest during the evening hours and rise in the north/northeast in the dark hours of early morning. The best time to look will be in those early morning
Hi from Johannesburg,South Africa! Still watching a Comet Pan-STARRS after sunset.It pops up just for few minutes only.It is visible even without binoculars ,if sky is clear enough ,Last watch was at 17.30, 03.06.2013 Regards
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