Comet PanSTARRS (C/2012 K1) has been steadily brightening over the last few months and is now visible with small telescopes and large binoculars (e.g.15x70s or 20x80s). For most of June, the comet is well placed for observation in the early evening sky from the Northern Hemisphere and tropics. It's also visible from the Southern Hemisphere, but more difficult since it's lower down.
PanSTARRS was discovered on May 17, 2012 by astronomers using the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) located on the island of Maui in Hawaii. At discovery, it's apparent magnitude was a feeble +19.7 and it was located 8.7 AU (1.3 billion kilometres or 800 million miles) from the Sun, far beyond the orbit of Jupiter and almost as distant as Saturn.
Location and star chart
PanSTARRS is currently moving in a southwestern direction. At the beginning of June, the comet shone at magnitude +8.3 and was located at the southwest corner of Ursa Major. On June 7th, PanSTARRS then crossed the border into the small faint constellation of Leo Minor where it remains until June 22nd. On this date, it enters Leo and remains there for the rest of the month. It's estimated that PanSTARRS will have brightened slightly to magnitude +8.1 during this time. This puts the comet easily within the range of small telescopes and large binoculars, although too faint to be seen with the naked eye.
For Northern Hemisphere observers, PanSTARRS appears fairly high in the sky towards the west just after sunset during the first three weeks of June. However, as the month closes in the comet will become increasingly more difficult to spot as it battles against the bright twilight sky. From equatorial regions during June, PanSTARRS is well placed but from southern temperate latitudes it always appears low down towards the northern sky.
PanSTARRS will round the Sun on August 27, 2014 (date of perihelion) after which it switches to the morning sky. It's expected to reach maximum brightness of about magnitude +6.0 in October 2014; at the limit of naked eye visibility but easily seen with 7x50 or 10x50 binoculars.
The finder chart below shows the positions of PanSTARRS from June 9 to July 27, 2014.
Comet PanStarrs (C/2012 K1) Finder Chart from June 9 to July 27, 2014 - pdf format
C/2012 K1 (PanSTARRS) Data (at epoch August 11, 2014)
Name | C/2012 K1 (PanSTARRS) |
---|---|
Type | Comet |
Discoverer | Pan-STARRS telescope |
Discovery date | May 17, 2012 |
Perihelion (AU) | 1.05452 |
Eccentricity | 1.00021 |
Orbital period (years) | unknown, but estimated to be at least 800,000 years |
Inclination (degrees) | 142.428 |
Longitude of ascending node (degrees) | 317.738 |
Perihelion | August 27th, 2014 |
Comet (C/2012 K1) PanSTARRS Data Table
Date | Right Ascension | Declination | Mag. | Distance from Earth (AU) | Constellation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 Jun 2014 | 10h 46m 56s | 42d 19m 16s | 8.3 | 1.653 | Ursa Major |
02 Jun 2014 | 10h 43m 38s | 41d 52m 37s | 8.3 | 1.664 | Ursa Major |
03 Jun 2014 | 10h 40m 27s | 41d 25m 50s | 8.3 | 1.676 | Ursa Major |
04 Jun 2014 | 10h 37m 23s | 40d 58m 59s | 8.3 | 1.687 | Ursa Major |
05 Jun 2014 | 10h 34m 27s | 40d 32m 04s | 8.3 | 1.698 | Ursa Major |
06 Jun 2014 | 10h 31m 37s | 40d 05m 08s | 8.3 | 1.710 | Ursa Major |
07 Jun 2014 | 10h 28m 54s | 39d 38m 12s | 8.3 | 1.721 | Ursa Major |
08 Jun 2014 | 10h 26m 18s | 39d 11m 19s | 8.2 | 1.733 | Leo Minor |
09 Jun 2014 | 10h 23m 47s | 38d 44m 29s | 8.2 | 1.744 | Leo Minor |
10 Jun 2014 | 10h 21m 22s | 38d 17m 45s | 8.2 | 1.756 | Leo Minor |
11 Jun 2014 | 10h 19m 03s | 37d 51m 06s | 8.2 | 1.768 | Leo Minor |
12 Jun 2014 | 10h 16m 49s | 37d 24m 34s | 8.2 | 1.779 | Leo Minor |
13 Jun 2014 | 10h 14m 41s | 36d 58m 10s | 8.2 | 1.791 | Leo Minor |
14 Jun 2014 | 10h 12m 37s | 36d 31m 54s | 8.2 | 1.803 | Leo Minor |
15 Jun 2014 | 10h 10m 38s | 36d 05m 48s | 8.2 | 1.814 | Leo Minor |
16 Jun 2014 | 10h 08m 43s | 35d 39m 51s | 8.2 | 1.826 | Leo Minor |
17 Jun 2014 | 10h 06m 52s | 35d 14m 04s | 8.2 | 1.837 | Leo Minor |
18 Jun 2014 | 10h 05m 06s | 34d 48m 28s | 8.2 | 1.849 | Leo Minor |
19 Jun 2014 | 10h 03m 24s | 34d 23m 03s | 8.2 | 1.860 | Leo Minor |
20 Jun 2014 | 10h 01m 45s | 33d 57m 48s | 8.2 | 1.871 | Leo Minor |
21 Jun 2014 | 10h 00m 10s | 33d 32m 45s | 8.1 | 1.882 | Leo Minor |
22 Jun 2014 | 09h 58m 38s | 33d 07m 53s | 8.1 | 1.893 | Leo Minor |
23 Jun 2014 | 09h 57m 10s | 32d 43m 12s | 8.1 | 1.904 | Leo |
24 Jun 2014 | 09h 55m 45s | 32d 18m 43s | 8.1 | 1.915 | Leo |
25 Jun 2014 | 09h 54m 22s | 31d 54m 25s | 8.1 | 1.926 | Leo |
26 Jun 2014 | 09h 53m 03s | 31d 30m 18s | 8.1 | 1.936 | Leo |
27 Jun 2014 | 09h 51m 46s | 31d 06m 23s | 8.1 | 1.946 | Leo |
28 Jun 2014 | 09h 50m 32s | 30d 42m 39s | 8.1 | 1.956 | Leo |
29 Jun 2014 | 09h 49m 20s | 30d 19m 07s | 8.1 | 1.966 | Leo |
30 Jun 2014 | 09h 48m 10s | 29d 55m 45s | 8.1 | 1.976 | Leo |
01 Jul 2014 | 09h 47m 03s | 29d 32m 33s | 8.0 | 1.985 | Leo |
02 Jul 2014 | 09h 45m 58s | 29d 09m 32s | 8.0 | 1.995 | Leo |
03 Jul 2014 | 09h 44m 55s | 28d 46m 42s | 8.0 | 2.004 | Leo |
04 Jul 2014 | 09h 43m 53s | 28d 24m 01s | 8.0 | 2.012 | Leo |
05 Jul 2014 | 09h 42m 54s | 28d 01m 30s | 8.0 | 2.021 | Leo |
06 Jul 2014 | 09h 41m 56s | 27d 39m 08s | 8.0 | 2.029 | Leo |
07 Jul 2014 | 09h 40m 60s | 27d 16m 56s | 8.0 | 2.037 | Leo |
08 Jul 2014 | 09h 40m 05s | 26d 54m 52s | 8.0 | 2.045 | Leo |
09 Jul 2014 | 09h 39m 12s | 26d 32m 57s | 7.9 | 2.053 | Leo |
10 Jul 2014 | 09h 38m 20s | 26d 11m 10s | 7.9 | 2.060 | Leo |
11 Jul 2014 | 09h 37m 29s | 25d 49m 30s | 7.9 | 2.067 | Leo |
12 Jul 2014 | 09h 36m 40s | 25d 27m 58s | 7.9 | 2.073 | Leo |
13 Jul 2014 | 09h 35m 52s | 25d 06m 33s | 7.9 | 2.080 | Leo |
14 Jul 2014 | 09h 35m 04s | 24d 45m 14s | 7.9 | 2.086 | Leo |
15 Jul 2014 | 09h 34m 18s | 24d 24m 01s | 7.8 | 2.091 | Leo |
16 Jul 2014 | 09h 33m 33s | 24d 02m 55s | 7.8 | 2.097 | Leo |
17 Jul 2014 | 09h 32m 49s | 23d 41m 54s | 7.8 | 2.102 | Leo |
18 Jul 2014 | 09h 32m 05s | 23d 20m 57s | 7.8 | 2.107 | Leo |
19 Jul 2014 | 09h 31m 23s | 23d 00m 06s | 7.8 | 2.111 | Leo |
20 Jul 2014 | 09h 30m 41s | 22d 39m 18s | 7.8 | 2.115 | Leo |
21 Jul 2014 | 09h 29m 60s | 22d 18m 35s | 7.8 | 2.119 | Leo |
22 Jul 2014 | 09h 29m 19s | 21d 57m 55s | 7.7 | 2.122 | Leo |
23 Jul 2014 | 09h 28m 39s | 21d 37m 18s | 7.7 | 2.125 | Leo |
24 Jul 2014 | 09h 27m 60s | 21d 16m 43s | 7.7 | 2.127 | Leo |
25 Jul 2014 | 09h 27m 21s | 20d 56m 11s | 7.7 | 2.130 | Leo |
26 Jul 2014 | 09h 26m 43s | 20d 35m 41s | 7.7 | 2.131 | Leo |
27 Jul 2014 | 09h 26m 05s | 20d 15m 12s | 7.6 | 2.133 | Leo |
28 Jul 2014 | 09h 25m 27s | 19d 54m 44s | 7.6 | 2.134 | Leo |
29 Jul 2014 | 09h 24m 50s | 19d 34m 16s | 7.6 | 2.134 | Leo |
30 Jul 2014 | 09h 24m 13s | 19d 13m 48s | 7.6 | 2.135 | Leo |
31 Jul 2014 | 09h 23m 37s | 18d 53m 20s | 7.6 | 2.134 | Leo |
01 Aug 2014 | 09h 23m 00s | 18d 32m 51s | 7.6 | 2.134 | Leo |
02 Aug 2014 | 09h 22m 24s | 18d 12m 21s | 7.5 | 2.133 | Leo |
03 Aug 2014 | 09h 21m 48s | 17d 51m 49s | 7.5 | 2.131 | Cancer |
04 Aug 2014 | 09h 21m 12s | 17d 31m 15s | 7.5 | 2.129 | Cancer |
05 Aug 2014 | 09h 20m 37s | 17d 10m 38s | 7.5 | 2.127 | Cancer |
06 Aug 2014 | 09h 20m 01s | 16d 49m 57s | 7.5 | 2.124 | Cancer |
07 Aug 2014 | 09h 19m 25s | 16d 29m 13s | 7.5 | 2.121 | Cancer |
08 Aug 2014 | 09h 18m 50s | -16d 08m 24s | 7.4 | 2.117 | Cancer |
09 Aug 2014 | 09h 18m 14s | -15d 47m 30s | 7.4 | 2.113 | Cancer |
10 Aug 2014 | 09h 17m 39s | -15d 26m 31s | 7.4 | 2.109 | Cancer |
11 Aug 2014 | 09h 17m 03s | -15d 05m 26s | 7.4 | 2.104 | Cancer |
12 Aug 2014 | 09h 16m 27s | 14d 44m 14s | 7.4 | 2.098 | Cancer |
13 Aug 2014 | 09h 15m 51s | 14d 22m 55s | 7.3 | 2.092 | Cancer |
14 Aug 2014 | 09h 15m 15s | 14d 01m 28s | 7.3 | 2.086 | Cancer |
15 Aug 2014 | 09h 14m 39s | 13d 39m 52s | 7.3 | 2.079 | Cancer |
16 Aug 2014 | 09h 14m 03s | 13d 18m 08s | 7.3 | 2.072 | Cancer |
17 Aug 2014 | 09h 13m 27s | 12d 56m 14s | 7.3 | 2.065 | Cancer |
18 Aug 2014 | 09h 12m 50s | 12d 34m 09s | 7.3 | 2.057 | Cancer |
19 Aug 2014 | 09h 12m 14s | 12d 11m 53s | 7.3 | 2.048 | Cancer |
20 Aug 2014 | 09h 11m 37s | 11d 49m 25s | 7.2 | 2.039 | Cancer |
21 Aug 2014 | 09h 10m 59s | 11d 26m 45s | 7.2 | 2.030 | Cancer |
22 Aug 2014 | 09h 10m 22s | 11d 03m 51s | 7.2 | 2.020 | Cancer |
23 Aug 2014 | 09h 09m 44s | 10d 40m 43s | 7.2 | 2.010 | Cancer |
24 Aug 2014 | 09h 09m 05s | 10d 17m 21s | 7.2 | 1.999 | Cancer |
25 Aug 2014 | 09h 08m 27s | 09d 53m 42s | 7.2 | 1.988 | Cancer |
26 Aug 2014 | 09h 07m 48s | 09d 29m 47s | 7.1 | 1.976 | Cancer |
27 Aug 2014 | 09h 07m 08s | 09d 05m 34s | 7.1 | 1.964 | Cancer |
28 Aug 2014 | 09h 06m 28s | 08d 41m 03s | 7.1 | 1.952 | Cancer |
29 Aug 2014 | 09h 05m 47s | 08d 16m 12s | 7.1 | 1.939 | Cancer |
30 Aug 2014 | 09h 05m 06s | 07d 51m 01s | 7.1 | 1.926 | Cancer |
31 Aug 2014 | 09h 04m 25s | 07d 25m 28s | 7.1 | 1.912 | Cancer |