Akshay Deoras
The much awaited Comet PanStarrs is now visible in the Northern Hemisphere including India.
I personally saw the comet through a 7 x 50 binocular from Nagpur,Maharashtra today evening despite of lights,atmospheric haze and a few light clouds.
The city lights and the limited magnifying power of binoculars didn't allow for a detailed view of the comet but I was able to see the giant comet nucleus, the coma around it and the hazy tails.
On Tuesday I will be observing the comet through my Celestron NextStar 80SLT Telescope and get some photos..
Here are some viewing tips if you are planning to watch the comet-
To view the comet, first select a place which is free from the lights like street lights or building lights ( which will give a better view). It's mandatory to select a place which has a clear,unobstructed view of the west side particularly close to the horizon ( atleast 5-6 degrees above the horizon).
After such a place is selected for viewing, one will need good binoculars ( of high magnification power) if observing from city.metro areas. A small sized telescope will be the best to see the comet completely.
The comet will be visible in the lower western sky ONLY AFTER THE SUNSETS. Infact, it becomes visible in about 15-20 minutes after the sunsets. Initially one will see it like a small cloud which is illuminated by sunlight. Later it becomes clearly visible
This comet will be visible through the naked eyes if one observes from light free areas. People from cities may also see the comet by naked eye but it will appear just as a faint dot. Expert sky gazers however will distinguish it.
As the comet lingers in the twilight for around 30 mins after the sunsets, the view doesn't change much until it gets dark.
On Tuesday, 12th March, the comet will be in between 260-265 degrees ( particularly from Nagpur as the below image gives a description of it). It will be roughly above the location where the sunsets. In the below image, I have purposively depicted the situation before the sunset to show that a young,waxing crescent moon will be there in the sky. However it will not be visible tomorrow ( PEOPLE SHOULD NOT MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO SEE THIS MOON THROUGH BINOCULARS OR TELESCOPE AS IT MAY DAMAGE THEIR EYES)
