Comet in southern skies

I'm in New Zealand and haven't heard about this before - there should be great excitement in the media! They prefer 'planet Key'

Bright Comet Pan-STARRS seen in skies over Australia

(and New Zealand)

Space Weather,

4 March, 2013

Comet Pan-STARRS (C/2011 L4) is inside the orbit of Mercury, brightening as it plunges toward the sun. Observers in the southern hemisphere say they can see Pan-STARRS with the unaided eye in the evening sunset sky. Michael White sends this view from Manawatu, New Zealand:

"As Comet Pan-STARRS was setting on the southwestern horizon, its nucleus was visible to the naked eye and its tail could just be seen with averted vision," says White. "Crops in the foreground were illuminated by nearby highway lights."

Several important dates are approaching. On March 5th, Comet Pan-STARRS makes its closest approach to Earth (1.1 AU), followed on March 10th by its closest approach to the sun (0.3 AU). As Comet Pan-STARRS passes the sun, solar glare might make it difficult to see even as the nucleus vaporizes and brightens. By March 12th and 13th, the comet will reappear in the sunset skies of the northern hemisphere not far from the crescent Moon; think photo-op! Light curves suggest that the comet's brightness will peak near 2nd magnitude, similar to the stars of the Big Dipper. Check the realtime comet gallery for the latest images.