After passing perihelion on March 10th and closest approach to Earth on March 5th, comet PanSTARRS has now begun its long return journey towards the Oort cloud and the far reaches of the solar system. With an orbital period estimated at about 110,000 years it will be considerable time before it returns, but until then it remains visible to the naked eye for a few days and with binoculars and telescopes for a few months longer.

On March 12th, mag. 1.6 PanSTARRS crossed the celestial equator in Cetus to begin its long journey through the northern constellations. The comet was now visible for the first time from northern temperate latitudes, and could be seen with the naked eye low down to the west just after sunset. The coma appeared bright with a short fan shaped tail of at least half a degree in length.

Two days later the comet passed into Pisces, continuing on a bearing practically alongside the 0hr 30m line of right ascension. After quickly moving through Pisces, PanSTARRS then crossed the boundary into Andromeda on March 22nd. On this date the comet should be about magnitude 3.1. Although fading it becomes better placed for northern hemisphere observers as it heads north, setting later on subsequent nights. On March 27th, PanSTARRS passes about 1.5 degrees west of mag. 3.3 star δ And. There shouldn't be a great difference in brightness between the two objects, with the comet about a magnitude or so fainter than the star. Both will be visible in binoculars or small telescopes at low magnifications, in the same field of view. From northern temperate latitudes, they appear low down towards the west-northwest about 45 minutes after sunset.

The diagram below shows PanSTARRS as seen from temperate northern latitudes until April 5, 2013.

On April 1st, PanSTARRS will be down to 5th magnitude and close to the limit of naked eye visibility. The comets declination is now 35N and hence already circumpolar for observers living at latitudes north of 55N. Between April 3rd and April 6th, an excellent photo opportunity occurs when mag. 5.6 PanSTARRS will pass only 2 degrees west of M31, the famous Andromeda Galaxy. The comet then continues onwards into Cassiopeia, arriving on April 9th. Ten days later it passes just 2.5 degrees west of mag. 2.2 Schedar (α Cas). With a declination of 56N, PanSTARRS will now be circumpolar from most northern latitudes, although no longer visible to the naked eye. However, at mag. 7.2 it remains an easy binocular and small telescope target.

The charts below show the position of PanSTARRS until April 21, 2013.

Finder Chart for Comet PanSTARRS from March 21, 2013 to April 3, 2013 - pdf format

Finder Chart for Comet PanSTARRS - April 3, 2013 to April 21, 2013 - pdf format

Comet PanSTARRS

Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4) Data Table

See also

Final swan song for Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4)
Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4) heads towards a close pass by of Polaris, the Northern Pole Star
Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4) moves through Cassiopeia
Media Frenzy as Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4) is now visible to observers in the Northern Hemisphere
How to see Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4) in March 2013
Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4) edges closer to March evening performance
Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4) on the verge of naked eye visibility
Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4) brightens to within binocular range