[ako]

Very early days for this new discovery, as usual there is great hype. Hopefully it will live up to or exceed expectations. Matt
Further info:*

Minor Planet Center*just issued a circular about new comet discovered by*Pan-STARRS survey.*Comet was designated as C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS) and it may be a very bright comet on 2013!*The orbit is not accurate, but it’s already clear that the new comet have closer perihelion* than the comet C/2010 X1 (Elenin) – about 0.36 AU. The comet could reach magnitude 1-2 in April 2013. By the rough*forecast, C/2011 L4 can*be the Great Comet, and reach 0 magnitude or brighter.*In March 2013, C/2011 L4 will be about 1 AU*from the Earth.*This is in 4 times distant than the comet Elenin.

[mdstuart]

Would be good for Astronomy to have another good comet!

Mark

[QldLiz]

This sounds great, so fingers crossed that new data supports the current predictions.

[tetenterre]

Here's an ephemeris:


Ephemeris:
C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS)
Date TT R. A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. Phase m1
m2
2011 05 09 16 26 39.0 -16 57 41 7.4462 8.4002 159.7 2.4 19.1
...
2011 05 24 16 18 26.1 -16 47 30 7.2683 8.2766 174.4 0.7 19.0
...
2011 06 01 16 13 48.9 -16 42 06 7.2030 8.2103 173.0 0.9 18.9
...
2011 06 07 16 10 19.9 -16 38 17 7.1677 8.1605 167.2 1.6 18.9
2011 06 08 16 09 45.2 -16 37 40 7.1630 8.1521 166.2 1.7 18.9
2011 06 09 16 09 10.6 -16 37 04 7.1585 8.1438 165.1 1.8 18.9
...
2011 06 15 16 05 45.5 -16 33 40 7.1384 8.0937 158.8 2.6 18.8
...
2011 06 23 16 01 22.2 -16 29 52 7.1283 8.0268 150.3 3.6 18.8
...
2011 07 08 15 53 59.3 -16 25 46 7.1561 7.9004 134.4 5.3 18.7

Gareth V. Williams (C) Copyright 2011 MPC M.P.E.C.
2011-L33

[lukebl]

Hmm. Magnitude 19. Think I'll wait a bit.

[ako]

has anyone come across any further news on the orbit, would have thought that a lot more measurement would have been undertaken these last few days, allowing much better orbital data to be calculated?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Originally Posted by lukebl

Hmm. Magnitude 19. Think I'll wait a bit.

Me too
Still, could be one to watch.

[Nexus 6]

Originally Posted by mdstuart

Would be good for Astronomy to have another good comet!

Mark

I agree! as someone only still relatively new to astronomy its my biggest regret to have missed out on the major comet approaches of the past. They must have been some sight

[ako]

more observations have been added at the minor planetary center, latest orbit calculations for C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS).

From MPC

C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS)
T 2013 Feb. 5.8937 TT MPC
q 0.337628 (2000.0) P Q
Peri. 331.2931 +0.5575233 -0.2221664
Node 67.5247 +0.8246312 +0.2592388
e 1.0 Incl. 59.9548 -0.0956615 +0.9399135
From 60 observations 2011 May 24-June 11.


Date UT R.A. (J2000) Decl. Delta r El. Ph. m1 h m s

2013 02 05 000000 22 33 41.4 -19 10 15 1.033 0.339 19.1 72.6 0.9
2013 02 06 000000 22 39 05.2 -16 54 21 1.014 0.338 19.4 75.6 0.8

still very early days and likely to change of course but looking like a healthy naked eye comet if ti behaves!

matt

[Dajester101]

It seems from what I'm reading that a few doomsdayers are loving this new comet and it's arrival

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Dajester101

It seems from what I'm reading that a few doomsdayers are loving this new comet and it's arrival

They'll all be dead in 2012 anyway won't they?

[JKB]

But wont it be closely following the sun and not visible at night so the best of the show will be wasted. And being close I mean close enough not to look at it without a solar filter on?

Just tracked it in stellarium

[OldWolf]

Hmmm just as well i am shipping my 10" Newt to rural Beds might try for this with one of the Mt Teide Scopes .... hmmmm ok according to JPL Horizons its below the obsies horizon right now ok then i'll go for P/2012 B1 (PANSTARRS)