Long awaited, Comet PanSTARRS is on track to peak at only
magnitude +2 or +3 in the March evening twilight for Northern
Hemisphere skywatchers, not –1 as originally predicted. Bring
binoculars to pick Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4) out of the
twilight low in the west. Don't expect it to look as obvious as
this! As we report in the print edition of S&T, Comet PanSTARRS
(C/2011 L4) will emerge from the Sun's glare low in the western
twilight in early and mid-March of 2013. But how bright will it
be? Fainter than we originally predicted. More than a month ago,
using brightness measurements coming from Southern Hemisphere
observers, Seiichi Yoshida, editor of Weekly Information about
Bright Comets, changed his magnitude formula for Comet
PanSTARRS. His new predicted light curve (scroll down there) had
the comet peaking at only magnitude +3 in early March. Comet
PanSTARRS was still only 19th magnitude at its discovery on June
6, 2011. These four discovery images, taken 20 minutes apart,
show its motion against backgr