{"id":614,"date":"2013-03-14T01:26:45","date_gmt":"2013-03-14T01:26:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/2013\/03\/14\/comet_c2011_l4_2\/"},"modified":"2023-12-24T23:19:03","modified_gmt":"2023-12-24T23:19:03","slug":"comet_c2011_l4_2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/2013\/03\/14\/comet_c2011_l4_2\/","title":{"rendered":"Comet C\/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) – MARCH 13\/14, 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a>
\nSketch of C\/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) – March 13\/14, 2013
\nClick for larger version.<\/div>\n

In the two nights since I last viewed the comet, it’s elevation has risen enough to pull it further out of the twilight glare. And it looks GREAT! The view got better and better as twilight deepened. The tail seemed to nearly double in length since I last viewed it\u2014approaching what I estimate to be nearly a degree long. This time, I also noticed a graceful curve to the tail. The short, fainter extension on the south side was more obvious than last time, and I also detected hints of a fainter, straight streamer along the curved, northern edge of the tail. I think the ion tail is too faint to see, so I wonder if this is some extra definition in the dust tail. The comet was also easily visible naked eye, and this time the tail gave the naked-eye view a slightly smeared shape.<\/p>\n

My daughter came with me and we switched back and forth between binoculars and the telescope while I shot photos and sketched. The lot on McMillan Mesa was loaded with people and their binoculars, cameras and a couple other scopes. We shared the view with a couple other folks parked nearby before the comet finally set, a warm copper brush stroke diving into the trees. I watched the tail gradually fade away for another minute and a half afterward. We finished by having a look at M42, Jupiter, the Pleiades, a few constellations, and of course the stunning crescent moon, lit by Earthshine.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
\nC\/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) burns over the trees on McMillan Mesa.<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/b><\/td>\nC\/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Classification<\/b><\/td>\nComet<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Position (J2000)<\/b><\/td>\nPisces: [RA: 0 31.987 \/ Dec: 5\u00b0 0.054′ ]*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Magnitude<\/b><\/td>\nNot estimated<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Date\/Time<\/b><\/td>\nMARCH 13, 2013 – 7:00-7:30 PM MST (MARCH 14, 2013 – 0200-0230 UT)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Observing Loc.<\/b><\/td>\nFlagstaff, AZ – McMillan Mesa<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Instrument<\/b><\/td>\n15 x 70 Oberwerk Binoculars
\nOrion SkyQuest XT8 (8″ f\/5.9 Newtonian)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Conditions<\/b><\/td>\nClear, twilight, some thin cirrus<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Seeing<\/b><\/td>\nNot estimated<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Transparency<\/b><\/td>\nNautical Twilight<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*References<\/b><\/td>\nStarry Night Pro<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

C\/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1004,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-comet","category-sg-comet"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/img2013031303_PanSTARRS-e1703459931102.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":612,"url":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/2013\/03\/10\/comet_c2011_l4\/","url_meta":{"origin":614,"position":0},"title":"Comet C\/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) – MARCH 10\/11, 2013","author":"jperez1690","date":"March 10, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"C\/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS)","rel":"","context":"In "Comet"","block_context":{"text":"Comet","link":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/category\/comet\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/img2013031003_Panstarrs-e1703460121878.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":615,"url":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/2013\/03\/23\/comet_c2011_l4_3\/","url_meta":{"origin":614,"position":1},"title":"Comet C\/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) – MARCH 18\/19, 2013","author":"jperez1690","date":"March 23, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"C\/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS)","rel":"","context":"In "Comet"","block_context":{"text":"Comet","link":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/category\/comet\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/img2013031801_PanSTARRS-e1703459828437.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":613,"url":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/2013\/03\/12\/comet_c2011_l4_1\/","url_meta":{"origin":614,"position":2},"title":"Comet C\/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS) – MARCH 11\/12, 2013","author":"jperez1690","date":"March 12, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"C\/2011 L4 (PanSTARRS)","rel":"","context":"In "Comet"","block_context":{"text":"Comet","link":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/category\/comet\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/img2013031103_PanSTARRS-e1703460035927.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":635,"url":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/2020\/07\/20\/comet_c2020_f3_3\/","url_meta":{"origin":614,"position":3},"title":"Comet C\/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) – 18 July 2020","author":"jperez1690","date":"July 20, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Sketch of C\/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) - 18 July 2020 Click for larger version. Such a spectacular view. Both naked eye and through binoculars. Even though it hasn't qualified for 'great' comet status, it is large and a beautiful ornament to the night sky right now. The sketch is a binocular\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comet"","block_context":{"text":"Comet","link":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/category\/comet\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/img20200718-C2020F3-NEOWISE-15x70-Sketch_1280px.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/img20200718-C2020F3-NEOWISE-15x70-Sketch_1280px.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/img20200718-C2020F3-NEOWISE-15x70-Sketch_1280px.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/img20200718-C2020F3-NEOWISE-15x70-Sketch_1280px.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/img20200718-C2020F3-NEOWISE-15x70-Sketch_1280px.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":455,"url":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/2009\/01\/09\/c2007_n3_lulin\/","url_meta":{"origin":614,"position":4},"title":"C\/2007 N3 (Lulin) – JAN 9, 2009","author":"jperez1690","date":"January 9, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"C\/2007 N3 (Lulin)","rel":"","context":"In "Comet"","block_context":{"text":"Comet","link":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/category\/comet\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":458,"url":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/2009\/01\/31\/c2007_n3_lulin_2\/","url_meta":{"origin":614,"position":5},"title":"C\/2007 N3 (Lulin) – JAN 28, 2009","author":"jperez1690","date":"January 31, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"C\/2007 N3 (Lulin) 20090128","rel":"","context":"In "Comet"","block_context":{"text":"Comet","link":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/category\/comet\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/614","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=614"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/614\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1006,"href":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/614\/revisions\/1006"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=614"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=614"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perezmedia.net\/beltofvenus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=614"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}