Comet making closest approach ever of Earth

Dark Knight · Mar 5, 2013

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) A recently discovered comet is closer than it's ever been to Earth, and stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere finally get to see it.

Called Pan-STARRS, the comet passed within 100 million miles of Earth on Tuesday, its closest approach in its first-ever cruise through the inner solar system. The ice ball will get even nearer the sun this weekend just 28 million miles from the sun and within the orbit of Mercury.

The comet has been visible for weeks from the Southern Hemisphere. Now the top half of the world gets a glimpse as well.

http://news.yahoo.com/comet-making-closest-approach-ever-earth-165825026.html

tarabull · Mar 12, 2013

:bump:

hope the sky is clear for everyone the next several nights...

http://media.skyandtelescope.com/images/PanSTARRS_finder_large.jpg

eta: more details for best viewing here: http://www.wtop.com/904/3245529/The-Space-Place

samsmom · Mar 16, 2013

Was anyone able to see this comet?
I live in northern Mississippi and we had a clear night tonight but I didn't see anything. I went out at about 8 pm central time.

Is it supposed to be a small speck? Or large enough to notice like a 'shooting star'?

SDkid · Mar 16, 2013

No, but not for lack of trying. Went to the beach two nights in a row and didn't see it with or without binoculars. Disappointing.

serafinacat · Mar 18, 2013

I was in New Orleans last weekend and we were all able to see it quite clearly! I was with a group of about 10 people - nobody had even heard of it before we saw it - but it was definitely big enough that if you had the right vantage point, you couldnt miss it. Very cool.

Comet making closest approach ever of Earth

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