COMETS are big space icebergs which melt if they near the Sun. A comet called Panstarrs will be visible in the west after sunset this week, but you'll have to work to see it. You'll need a very flat western horizon, absolutely no cloud, and maybe a bit of extra help too.
The comet is fainter than we had hoped, but should still be visible to the naked eye as an elongated smudge. Look for Panstarrs to the left of the very young Moon on March 12, starting around 6.30pm. On the next night the comet will be beneath the Moon. The bright twilight sky will mean you might need a pair of binoculars to see it properly though.
To increase your chances of seeing the comet, join us at Kendal Castle from 6.30pm, March 13 for our Comet Watch.
Stuart Atkinson Eddington Astronomical Society of Kendal
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