21 Jan 2016

Where to look for comet Panstarrs X1


Comet C/2013 Panstarrs X1 lies just below the main square of Pegasus and is moving southward all the time.
 
It dramatically went into outburst 2 weeks ago and increased in brightness by 5 magnitudes to Mag 8.4. My friend Neil Norman of the face book group 'Comet Watch' informs me that it is now belived to be a comet from the Kuiper Belt.

Neil Norman informs me that: "Observations on 16/01/16 indicate m1 = 8.5 , and tonight m1=9.5  but this is no doubt because of moon interference. Taking this into account you should be looking for m1 = 8.5,Dia = 6',DC = 5." 
 
Panstarrs X1 is really worth observing over the coming evenings as other outbursts may follow.
 
 It is a another green coloured comet which is presently shining at Mag 8.4, and lends itself well to photography. It is visible with binoculars.

The first star chart [Right] shows the position of Panstarrs X1 in the night sky between 21 - 28 January.
This second chart (Below) shows the precise position of comet Panstarrs X1 from 21 - 28 January as it moves over a distance of a little over 1 degree of the sky (Twice the angula diameter of the Full Moon). Click on the images for a larger view.



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