HOUSTON – A newly-discovered comet, named Pan-STARRS, will grace the Houston sky beginning next Tuesday. The comet will be a special sight to see, even though it won't be extremely bright and it won't be visible for very long each evening.
Beginning Tuesday, the comet will be visible in the western sky, close to the crescent moon near the horizon shortly after sunset. It will set over the western horizon shortly after the sun sets, making it a very brief treat for us each night.
The best viewing will be Tuesday and Wednesday evening, while the comet is easiest to spot adjacent to the moon. To get the best view, find a place away from city lights with an unobstructed view of the western horizon. Binoculars may also be helpful since the comet's tail will be hard to see without them.
Pan-STARRS may be a dim comet, but there's another comet that will provide a spectacular celestial show for us later this year. The comet ISON will pass extremely close to the sun in November and could end up being brighter than the full moon! No need for binoculars when ISON comes into view!