On March 9 and 10, it passes within 45 million kilometers of the Sun and will stand some 7° high in the west 30 minutes after sunset. It should glow brightest then. A crescent Moon can guide you to the comet March 12 and 13. On the 12th, PANSTARRS stands to the upper left of our satellite; the next evening, the comet lies to the Moon’s lower right.
The first glimpse of this comet occurs tomorrow evening if you check 30 mins after sundown close to due west and close to the horizon. Viewing opportunity until March 17, then the moon interferes and by Easter weekend it will be approx 10 degrees above the horizon, however a telephoto lens or binoculars are required as it fades..The comet should remain visible for a full hour after the Sun sets. This pretty much guarantees that you’ll be able to see Comet PANSTARRS from any location with reasonably clear skies and an unobstructed western horizon. From a dark observing site, you still may be able to see the comet’s tail arcing among the stars even after the comet’s head sets.
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