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The first of this year's comets may be less spectacular than predicted...PanSTARRS news
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/Update-on-Comet-PanSTARRS-187930541.htmlComet PanSTARRS Punking Out?
JANUARY 22, 2013
by Alan MacRobert
"As we report in S&T, Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4) will emerge from the Sun's glare low in the western twilight in early and mid-March of 2013. But how bright will it be?
Probably fainter than we originally predicted.
Using recent brightness estimates now coming from Southern Hemisphere observers, Seiichi Yoshida, editor of Weekly Information about Bright Comets, has changed his magnitude formula for Comet PanSTARRS. His new predicted light curve (scroll down there) has the comet peaking at only magnitude +3 in early March.
Other recent fits to the data have it reaching anywhere from 1.8 to 4.
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includes a map....key dates for we here in North America will be March 12-24, low in the west sky after sunset. Here's hoping it surprises the astronomers and is brighter!
