Comet C/2011 L4 (Pan-STARRS) was discovered in June 2011 using the University of Hawaii’s Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS).

Initial forecasts by astron-omers who worked out its orbit and brightness predicted that it would be a very bright comet, however, up until last week, it was falling quite short of expectations. However, as Pan-STARRS flew past the orbits of Venus and Mercury, it brightened significantly, finally living up to the scientists’ hopes.

The comet has become visible to the naked eye to those who are able to see it in the southern hemisphere. The comet moved in closest to the Earth on March 5, at more than 150 million kilometres away – no chance of being hit.

To us in the northern hemisphere it should become visible from tonight onwards. To see it, look for the comet just above the horizon in the western sky after sunset. A dark sky is essential as light pollution will drown out any hint of the comet. With a pair of binoculars after sunset it would be worth watching whether its tail would have developed further.

The comet – a giant ‘dirty snowball’ forms a characteristic tail as its constituent gases are boiled and pushed off of its surface by the solar wind during its close approach to the Sun. The thin crescent Moon will be close on Wednesday and may make for a great photo opportunity.

Comet Pan-STARRS will hopefully whet our appetite for Comet ISON – another comet which promises to be much more spectacular next November.

Astronomical events this month

March 11: New moon at 9.51pm.
March 13: Comet C/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) below crescent moon at 7.20pm.
March 18: The moon close to the planet Jupiter and the star Aldebaran.
March 19: First quarter moon at 6.27pm.
March 27: Full moon at 11.24am.
March 29: The moon close to the planet Saturn.

For up-to-date information visit our website www.maltastro.org.

Alexei Pace is president of the Astronomical Society of Malta.