PanSTARRS (C/2013 X1) is currently the brightest comet in the sky and can be seen with binoculars and small telescopes in early morning. The comet is currently approaching Earth and will continue to brighten slightly, peaking at mag. +6.0 when closest approach is reached at the end of June. It's better placed from southern and equatorial latitudes where it appears high in the sky than from northern temperate locations where it always keeps low down.

Discovery

Comet PanSTARRS was discovered on December 4, 2013 using the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) located at Haleakala on the island of Maui in Hawaii. At discovery it shone at a feeble magnitude +20.2.

The Pan-STARRS project is planned to use an array of four 1.8m astronomical telescopes to survey the sky continuously in the hunt for moving objects. Despite funding problems and only two of the four telescopes currently up and running the project is already producing great results and numerous asteroid and comet discoveries have been made.

Location and star charts

Apart from the first few days of the month, PanSTARRS spends May slowly moving through faint Aquarius. From the Northern Hemisphere it's visible just before sunrise low down to the southeast. From southern latitudes it appears high above the east-northeastern horizon. At about 7th magnitude it's beyond naked eye visibility but can be seen in binoculars and small scopes.

On June 4th the comet passes just west of the Helix Nebula (NGC 7293). This planetary nebula is the brightest in the sky at mag. +7.3 although due to its low surface brightness the famous Dumbbell Nebula (M27) is easier to spot despite being marginally fainter. The comet then continues on its southerly path moving into Piscis Austrinus on June 7th before cutting through Microscopium from June 14th to 19th. After that it passes briefly through Sagittarius and Telescopium before ending the month in Ara. Throughout this time it keeps excellent condition in the tropics and Southern Hemisphere but always remains low down from the Northern Hemisphere. From more northerly temperate locations such as London, England it doesn't even rise above the southern horizon during the second half of June. Closest approach to Earth occurs on June 21/22 when PanSTARRS will be 59 million miles (95 million kilometres) distant.

The finder charts below show the positions of the comet from April 28 to June 11, 2016.

Comet C/2013 X1 PanSTARRS Finder Chart from April 26 to May 28, 2016 (credit:- freestarcharts) - pdf format (credit:- freestarcharts)

Comet C/2013 X1 PanSTARRS Finder Chart from May 24 to June 11, 2016 (credit:- freestarcharts) - pdf format (credit:- freestarcharts)

Comet PanSTARRS (C/2013 X1) Data (at epoch April 2, 2016)

Comet PanSTARRS (C/2013 X1) Data Table

See also

Comet PanSTARRS visible during June with binoculars and small telescopes. Best seen from southern and tropical latitudes.