Look and see if you can spot a small fuzzy ‘fan’ of light (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Look and see if you can spot a small fuzzy ‘fan’ of light

8:00am Thursday 14th March 2013 in Opinion By Stuart Atkinson

HAVING delighted skywatchers in the southern hemisphere, Comet Panstarrs has now rounded the Sun and is visible in the northern sky at last. As I'm writing this in advance I can't tell you how bright it will be when you read this, but it should be visible to the naked eye.

Look to the north west around half an hour after sunset, and see if you can spot something that looks like a small, fuzzy ‘fan’ of light, or a short stubby vapour trail, about a hand's width above the horizon. That will be the comet. It might not be much to look at with just your naked eye, but through binoculars you'll see detail and structure in its tail more clearly.

We'll lose sight of this comet soon, but by December we're expecting there to be a much bigger and brighter one in the sky. Cross your fingers!

Stuart Atkinson Eddington Astronomical Society of Kendal