Comet PanSTARRS visible during June with binoculars and small telescopes. Best seen from southern and tropical latitudes.

Comet PanSTARRS (C/2013 X1) is visible with binoculars in the evening sky during June from southern and tropical latitudes. At the beginning of the month the comet was rising in the southeast before midnight local time. By months end it can be seen just after sunset. Although probably remaining beyond naked eye visibility it's predicted to reach about mag. +6.0 towards the end of the month and therefore an easy binocular object. Indeed throughout June, PanSTARRS should be at least as bright as mag. +6.5. However comets are unpredictable and anything can happen, so keep watching!

Due to its southerly declination, those living at mid-northern latitudes aren't so lucky. Observers may be able to spot the comet low down in the southern sky just before morning twilight during the first half of the month. After that it will no longer be visible.

Discovery

Comet PanSTARRS was discovered on December 4, 2013 using the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) located at Haleakala on the island of Maui in Hawaii. At discovery it shone at a feeble magnitude +20.2.

The Pan-STARRS project is planned to use an array of four 1.8m astronomical telescopes to survey the sky continuously in the hunt for moving objects. Despite funding problems and only two of the four telescopes currently up and running the project is already producing great results and numerous asteroid and comet discoveries have been made.

Location and star charts

The comet is currently continuing on its south-westerly motion. On June 4th, it passed just west of the Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) in Aquarius. It then moved into Piscis Austrinus on June 7th where it remains for a week. After that comes Microscopium which the comet enters on June 14th before passing right through the centre of the faint constellation. PanSTARRS then cuts briefly through Sagittarius and Telescopium before ending the month in Ara. Closest approach to Earth occurs on June 21/22 when it will be 59 million miles (95 million kilometres) distant.

The finder charts below show the positions of the comet from May 24th to June 22nd, 2016.

Comet C/2013 X1 PanSTARRS Finder Chart from May 24 to June 11, 2016 - pdf format (credit:- freestarcharts)

Comet C/2013 X1 PanSTARRS Finder Chart from June 10 to 22, 2016 - pdf format (credit:- freestarcharts)

Comet PanSTARRS (C/2013 X1) Data (at epoch April 2, 2016)

Name C/2013 X1 Type Comet Discoverer PanSTARRS Astronomical Survey Discovery date December 4, 2013 Perihelion (AU) 1.3143 Aphelion (AU) unknown Semi-major axis (AU) unknown Eccentricity 1.0011 Orbital period (years) unknown Inclination (degrees) 163.2314 Perihelion April 21, 2016

Comet PanSTARRS (C/2013 X1) Data Table

Date Right Ascension Declination Mag. Distance from Earth (AU) Constellation 01-Apr-2016 23h 34m 22s 03d 07m 60s +8.1 2.271 Pisces 02-Apr-2016 23h 34m 19s 03d 00m 16s +8.1 2.259 Pisces 03-Apr-2016 23h 34m 15s 02d 52m 28s +8.1 2.247 Pisces 04-Apr-2016 23h 34m 11s 02d 44m 33s +8.1 2.234 Pisces 05-Apr-2016 23h 34m 06s 02d 36m 33s +8.0 2.221 Pisces 06-Apr-2016 23h 34m 01s 02d 28m 25s +8.0 2.208 Pisces 07-Apr-2016 23h 33m 55s 02d 20m 10s +8.0 2.194 Pisces 08-Apr-2016 23h 33m 49s 02d 11m 48s +8.0 2.180 Pisces 09-Apr-2016 23h 33m 43s 02d 03m 17s +8.0 2.165 Pisces 10-Apr-2016 23h 33m 36s 01d 54m 38s +7.9 2.150 Pisces 11-Apr-2016 23h 33m 28s 01d 45m 49s +7.9 2.134 Pisces 12-Apr-2016 23h 33m 20s 01d 36m 50s +7.9 2.118 Pisces 13-Apr-2016 23h 33m 11s 01d 27m 41s +7.9 2.102 Pisces 14-Apr-2016 23h 33m 02s 01d 18m 22s +7.9 2.085 Pisces 15-Apr-2016 23h 32m 51s 01d 08m 50s +7.8 2.068 Pisces 16-Apr-2016 23h 32m 40s 00d 59m 06s +7.8 2.051 Pisces 17-Apr-2016 23h 32m 29s 00d 49m 10s +7.8 2.033 Pisces 18-Apr-2016 23h 32m 16s 00d 38m 60s +7.8 2.014 Pisces 19-Apr-2016 23h 32m 03s 00d 28m 35s +7.8 1.996 Pisces 20-Apr-2016 23h 31m 49s 00d 17m 56s +7.7 1.977 Pisces 21-Apr-2016 23h 31m 34s 00d 07m 00s +7.7 1.957 Pisces 22-Apr-2016 23h 31m 18s -00d 04m 12s +7.7 1.938 Pisces 23-Apr-2016 23h 31m 01s -00d 15m 42s +7.7 1.917 Pisces 24-Apr-2016 23h 30m 42s -00d 27m 31s +7.6 1.897 Pisces 25-Apr-2016 23h 30m 23s -00d 39m 39s +7.6 1.876 Pisces 26-Apr-2016 23h 30m 03s -00d 52m 08s +7.6 1.855 Pisces 27-Apr-2016 23h 29m 41s -01d 04m 59s +7.6 1.834 Pisces 28-Apr-2016 23h 29m 18s -01d 18m 12s +7.6 1.812 Pisces 29-Apr-2016 23h 28m 54s -01d 31m 50s +7.5 1.790 Pisces 30-Apr-2016 23h 28m 28s -01d 45m 54s +7.5 1.767 Pisces 01-May-2016 23h 28m 00s -02d 00m 24s +7.5 1.745 Pisces 02-May-2016 23h 27m 31s -02d 15m 23s +7.5 1.722 Pisces 03-May-2016 23h 27m 01s -02d 30m 53s +7.4 1.698 Pisces 04-May-2016 23h 26m 28s -02d 46m 54s +7.4 1.675 Pisces 05-May-2016 23h 25m 53s -03d 03m 29s +7.4 1.651 Pisces 06-May-2016 23h 25m 17s -03d 20m 40s +7.4 1.627 Aquarius 07-May-2016 23h 24m 38s -03d 38m 29s +7.3 1.602 Aquarius 08-May-2016 23h 23m 57s -03d 56m 58s +7.3 1.578 Aquarius 09-May-2016 23h 23m 13s -04d 16m 09s +7.3 1.553 Aquarius 10-May-2016 23h 22m 27s -04d 36m 06s +7.3 1.528 Aquarius 11-May-2016 23h 21m 37s -04d 56m 50s +7.2 1.503 Aquarius 12-May-2016 23h 20m 45s -05d 18m 25s +7.2 1.477 Aquarius 13-May-2016 23h 19m 50s -05d 40m 53s +7.2 1.452 Aquarius 14-May-2016 23h 18m 51s -06d 04m 19s +7.1 1.426 Aquarius 15-May-2016 23h 17m 48s -06d 28m 45s +7.1 1.400 Aquarius 16-May-2016 23h 16m 42s -06d 54m 15s +7.1 1.374 Aquarius 17-May-2016 23h 15m 31s -07d 20m 54s +7.1 1.348 Aquarius 18-May-2016 23h 14m 16s -07d 48m 45s +7.0 1.322 Aquarius 19-May-2016 23h 12m 56s -08d 17m 54s +7.0 1.296 Aquarius 20-May-2016 23h 11m 31s -08d 48m 25s +7.0 1.270 Aquarius 21-May-2016 23h 09m 60s -09d 20m 23s +6.9 1.243 Aquarius 22-May-2016 23h 08m 23s -09d 53m 55s +6.9 1.217 Aquarius 23-May-2016 23h 06m 40s -10d 29m 06s +6.9 1.191 Aquarius 24-May-2016 23h 04m 50s -11d 06m 02s +6.8 1.164 Aquarius 25-May-2016 23h 02m 52s -11d 44m 51s +6.8 1.138 Aquarius 26-May-2016 23h 00m 46s -12d 25m 39s +6.7 1.112 Aquarius 27-May-2016 22h 58m 31s -13d 08m 35s +6.7 1.086 Aquarius 28-May-2016 22h 56m 06s -13d 53m 46s +6.7 1.060 Aquarius 29-May-2016 22h 53m 31s -14d 41m 21s +6.6 1.034 Aquarius 30-May-2016 22h 50m 44s -15d 31m 27s +6.6 1.009 Aquarius 31-May-2016 22h 47m 45s -16d 24m 15s +6.5 0.984 Aquarius 01-Jun-2016 22h 44m 32s -17d 19m 53s +6.5 0.959 Aquarius 02-Jun-2016 22h 41m 04s -18d 18m 31s +6.5 0.934 Aquarius 03-Jun-2016 22h 37m 19s -19d 20m 15s +6.4 0.910 Aquarius 04-Jun-2016 22h 33m 16s -20d 25m 15s +6.4 0.887 Aquarius 05-Jun-2016 22h 28m 54s -21d 33m 38s +6.3 0.864 Aquarius 06-Jun-2016 22h 24m 09s -22d 45m 29s +6.3 0.841 Aquarius 07-Jun-2016 22h 19m 01s -24d 00m 51s +6.3 0.820 Aquarius 08-Jun-2016 22h 13m 26s -25d 19m 47s +6.2 0.799 Piscis Austrinus 09-Jun-2016 22h 07m 22s -26d 42m 12s +6.2 0.779 Piscis Austrinus 10-Jun-2016 22h 00m 46s -28d 08m 01s +6.1 0.760 Piscis Austrinus 11-Jun-2016 21h 53m 34s -29d 36m 60s +6.1 0.742 Piscis Austrinus 12-Jun-2016 21h 45m 45s -31d 08m 49s +6.1 0.725 Piscis Austrinus 13-Jun-2016 21h 37m 14s -32d 43m 01s +6.0 0.709 Piscis Austrinus 14-Jun-2016 21h 27m 57s -34d 18m 59s +6.0 0.695 Piscis Austrinus 15-Jun-2016 21h 17m 51s -35d 55m 55s +6.0 0.682 Microscopium 16-Jun-2016 21h 06m 54s -37d 32m 51s +6.0 0.671 Microscopium 17-Jun-2016 20h 55m 02s -39d 08m 37s +6.0 0.661 Microscopium 18-Jun-2016 20h 42m 13s -40d 41m 56s +5.9 0.653 Microscopium 19-Jun-2016 20h 28m 27s -42d 11m 20s +5.9 0.647 Microscopium 20-Jun-2016 20h 13m 46s -43d 35m 19s +6.0 0.643 Sagittarius 21-Jun-2016 19h 58m 12s -44d 52m 19s +6.0 0.641 Sagittarius 22-Jun-2016 19h 41m 51s -46d 00m 57s +6.0 0.641 Telescopium 23-Jun-2016 19h 24m 51s -46d 59m 58s +6.0 0.642 Telescopium 24-Jun-2016 19h 07m 24s -47d 48m 24s +6.0 0.646 Telescopium 25-Jun-2016 18h 49m 42s -48d 25m 41s +6.1 0.652 Telescopium 26-Jun-2016 18h 31m 59s -48d 51m 39s +6.1 0.660 Telescopium 27-Jun-2016 18h 14m 29s -49d 06m 32s +6.2 0.669 Telescopium 28-Jun-2016 17h 57m 25s -49d 10m 57s +6.2 0.681 Ara 29-Jun-2016 17h 40m 58s -49d 05m 47s +6.3 0.694 Ara 30-Jun-2016 17h 25m 17s -48d 52m 11s +6.3 0.708 Ara 01-Jul-2016 17h 10m 28s -48d 31m 21s +6.4 0.724 Ara 02-Jul-2016 16h 56m 36s -48d 04m 32s +6.5 0.742 Ara 03-Jul-2016 16h 43m 40s -47d 32m 57s +6.5 0.761 Ara 04-Jul-2016 16h 31m 42s -46d 57m 43s +6.6 0.781 Norma 05-Jul-2016 16h 20m 39s -46d 19m 50s +6.7 0.803 Norma 06-Jul-2016 16h 10m 29s -45d 40m 08s +6.8 0.825 Norma 07-Jul-2016 16h 01m 10s -44d 59m 21s +6.9 0.848 Norma 08-Jul-2016 15h 52m 36s -44d 18m 06s +6.9 0.873 Norma 09-Jul-2016 15h 44m 46s -43d 36m 51s +7.0 0.898 Lupus 10-Jul-2016 15h 37m 35s -42d 55m 58s +7.1 0.923 Lupus 11-Jul-2016 15h 30m 59s -42d 15m 46s +7.2 0.950 Lupus 12-Jul-2016 15h 24m 57s -41d 36m 29s +7.3 0.977 Lupus 13-Jul-2016 15h 19m 25s -40d 58m 15s +7.3 1.005 Lupus 14-Jul-2016 15h 14m 20s -40d 21m 12s +7.4 1.033 Lupus 15-Jul-2016 15h 09m 40s -39d 45m 24s +7.5 1.061 Lupus 16-Jul-2016 15h 05m 22s -39d 10m 54s +7.6 1.090 Lupus 17-Jul-2016 15h 01m 25s -38d 37m 44s +7.6 1.120 Centaurus 18-Jul-2016 14h 57m 46s -38d 05m 54s +7.7 1.149 Centaurus 19-Jul-2016 14h 54m 25s -37d 35m 22s +7.8 1.179 Centaurus 20-Jul-2016 14h 51m 19s -37d 06m 08s +7.9 1.210 Centaurus 21-Jul-2016 14h 48m 28s -36d 38m 10s +7.9 1.240 Centaurus 22-Jul-2016 14h 45m 50s -36d 11m 26s +8.0 1.271 Centaurus 23-Jul-2016 14h 43m 24s -35d 45m 52s +8.1 1.302 Centaurus 24-Jul-2016 14h 41m 09s -35d 21m 28s +8.1 1.333 Centaurus 25-Jul-2016 14h 39m 04s -34d 58m 10s +8.2 1.365 Centaurus 26-Jul-2016 14h 37m 08s -34d 35m 56s +8.3 1.396 Centaurus 27-Jul-2016 14h 35m 22s -34d 14m 42s +8.4 1.428 Centaurus 28-Jul-2016 14h 33m 43s -33d 54m 28s +8.4 1.459 Centaurus 29-Jul-2016 14h 32m 12s -33d 35m 09s +8.5 1.491 Centaurus 30-Jul-2016 14h 30m 48s -33d 16m 44s +8.5 1.523 Centaurus 31-Jul-2016 14h 29m 30s -32d 59m 10s +8.6 1.555 Centaurus 01-Aug-2016 14h 28m 19s -32d 42m 25s +8.7 1.587 Centaurus 02-Aug-2016 14h 27m 13s -32d 26m 27s +8.7 1.619 Centaurus 03-Aug-2016 14h 26m 12s -32d 11m 13s +8.8 1.651 Centaurus 04-Aug-2016 14h 25m 16s -31d 56m 43s +8.8 1.683 Centaurus 05-Aug-2016 14h 24m 25s -31d 42m 53s +8.9 1.715 Centaurus 06-Aug-2016 14h 23m 38s -31d 29m 42s +9.0 1.747 Centaurus 07-Aug-2016 14h 22m 55s -31d 17m 09s +9.0 1.779 Centaurus 08-Aug-2016 14h 22m 16s -31d 05m 11s +9.1 1.810 Centaurus 09-Aug-2016 14h 21m 40s -30d 53m 47s +9.1 1.842 Centaurus 10-Aug-2016 14h 21m 08s -30d 42m 56s +9.2 1.874 Centaurus 11-Aug-2016 14h 20m 39s -30d 32m 36s +9.2 1.906 Centaurus 12-Aug-2016 14h 20m 13s -30d 22m 45s +9.3 1.938 Centaurus 13-Aug-2016 14h 19m 50s -30d 13m 24s +9.3 1.969 Centaurus 14-Aug-2016 14h 19m 30s -30d 04m 29s +9.4 2.001 Hydra 15-Aug-2016 14h 19m 12s -29d 56m 00s +9.4 2.032 Hydra 16-Aug-2016 14h 18m 56s -29d 47m 57s +9.5 2.064 Hydra 17-Aug-2016 14h 18m 43s -29d 40m 17s +9.5 2.095 Hydra 18-Aug-2016 14h 18m 31s -29d 33m 00s +9.6 2.126 Hydra 19-Aug-2016 14h 18m 22s -29d 26m 06s +9.6 2.157 Hydra 20-Aug-2016 14h 18m 15s -29d 19m 32s +9.7 2.188 Hydra 21-Aug-2016 14h 18m 10s -29d 13m 19s +9.7 2.219 Hydra 22-Aug-2016 14h 18m 06s -29d 07m 25s +9.8 2.249 Hydra 23-Aug-2016 14h 18m 04s -29d 01m 49s +9.8 2.280 Hydra 24-Aug-2016 14h 18m 04s -28d 56m 32s +9.9 2.310 Hydra 25-Aug-2016 14h 18m 05s -28d 51m 32s +9.9 2.341 Hydra 26-Aug-2016 14h 18m 07s -28d 46m 49s +10.0 2.371 Hydra 27-Aug-2016 14h 18m 11s -28d 42m 22s +10.0 2.401 Hydra 28-Aug-2016 14h 18m 17s -28d 38m 10s +10.1 2.431 Hydra 29-Aug-2016 14h 18m 23s -28d 34m 13s +10.1 2.460 Hydra 30-Aug-2016 14h 18m 31s -28d 30m 31s +10.1 2.490 Hydra 31-Aug-2016 14h 18m 40s -28d 27m 02s +10.2 2.519 Hydra 01-Sep-2016 14h 18m 50s -28d 23m 47s +10.2 2.548 Hydra 02-Sep-2016 14h 19m 02s -28d 20m 45s +10.3 2.577 Hydra 03-Sep-2016 14h 19m 14s -28d 17m 55s +10.3 2.606 Hydra 04-Sep-2016 14h 19m 27s -28d 15m 17s +10.3 2.635 Hydra 05-Sep-2016 14h 19m 41s -28d 12m 51s +10.4 2.663 Hydra 06-Sep-2016 14h 19m 56s -28d 10m 36s +10.4 2.692 Hydra 07-Sep-2016 14h 20m 12s -28d 08m 32s +10.5 2.720 Hydra 08-Sep-2016 14h 20m 28s -28d 06m 39s +10.5 2.747 Hydra 09-Sep-2016 14h 20m 46s -28d 04m 56s +10.5 2.775 Hydra 10-Sep-2016 14h 21m 04s -28d 03m 22s +10.6 2.803 Hydra 11-Sep-2016 14h 21m 23s -28d 01m 58s +10.6 2.830 Hydra 12-Sep-2016 14h 21m 43s -28d 00m 43s +10.6 2.857 Hydra 13-Sep-2016 14h 22m 03s -27d 59m 37s +10.7 2.884 Hydra 14-Sep-2016 14h 22m 24s -27d 58m 39s +10.7 2.910 Hydra 15-Sep-2016 14h 22m 45s -27d 57m 50s +10.7 2.937 Hydra 16-Sep-2016 14h 23m 07s -27d 57m 09s +10.8 2.963 Hydra 17-Sep-2016 14h 23m 30s -27d 56m 36s +10.8 2.989 Hydra 18-Sep-2016 14h 23m 53s -27d 56m 10s +10.8 3.014 Hydra 19-Sep-2016 14h 24m 16s -27d 55m 51s +10.9 3.040 Hydra 20-Sep-2016 14h 24m 41s -27d 55m 40s +10.9 3.065 Hydra 21-Sep-2016 14h 25m 05s -27d 55m 35s +10.9 3.090 Hydra 22-Sep-2016 14h 25m 30s -27d 55m 37s +11.0 3.115 Hydra 23-Sep-2016 14h 25m 56s -27d 55m 46s +11.0 3.139 Hydra 24-Sep-2016 14h 26m 22s -27d 56m 00s +11.0 3.164 Hydra 25-Sep-2016 14h 26m 48s -27d 56m 21s +11.1 3.188 Hydra 26-Sep-2016 14h 27m 15s -27d 56m 49s +11.1 3.211 Hydra 27-Sep-2016 14h 27m 42s -27d 57m 21s +11.1 3.235 Hydra 28-Sep-2016 14h 28m 09s -27d 57m 60s +11.2 3.258 Hydra 29-Sep-2016 14h 28m 37s -27d 58m 44s +11.2 3.281 Hydra 30-Sep-2016 14h 29m 05s -27d 59m 33s +11.2 3.304 Hydra

See also

How to see comet PanSTARRS (C/2013 X1) with binoculars and small telescopes during May and June 2016