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Pan-STARRS Comet Could Be Visible to the Naked Eye

The popular comet will be trekking across the skies through March and could be seen by the naked eye says NASA.

Gwinnett stargazers there's good news, the Comet 2011 L4, better known as Pan-STARRS, could be visible for the next several days.

The best time to see the comet is expected to be during twighlight in the western skies.

  • Weather in north Georgia this weekend could be condusive to sky-watching, with high temperatures in the 70s and fair skies Saturday and Sunday.

The comet is a true astronomical rarity because it is visible to the naked eye--something that occurs only once every 5 to 10 years, according to NASA.

Find out what's happening in Gwinnettwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to Amy Mainzer, the principal investigator of NASA’s NEOWISE mission, “There is a catch to viewing comet PANSTARRS…a relatively unobstructed view to the southwest at twilight and, of course, some good comet-watching weather.”

Viewers captured some stunning photos of the comet over the Lincoln Memorial in Washington this week, with its passage coinciding with a crescent moon.

Find out what's happening in Gwinnettwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

NASA says that PANSTARRS should still be visible through the end of the month but it will be tougher to see (even with binoculars or most home telescopes) as March ends.

While this comet viewing opportunity is rare, Mainzer said on the NASA website that comet ISON may become a “spectacular naked-eye comet later this fall.”


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