Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4) was a dazzling visitor from the outer reaches of the solar system that captured the attention of skywatchers around the world in 2013. Discovered on June 6, 2011, by the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii, this long-period comet originated from the distant Oort Cloud and made its first known journey into the inner solar system. As it approached the Sun, it developed a bright, fan-shaped dust tail along with a fainter ion tail, making it one of the most photogenic comets of the decade. At its peak in March 2013, it reached a magnitude of +1—bright enough to be seen with the naked eye during twilight—and provided memorable views as it appeared near the crescent Moon in evening skies.

PanSTARRS made its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) on March 10, 2013, passing just 0.3 AU from it (about 28 million miles). A few days earlier, it came within 1.1 AU of Earth, still quite distant, but close enough to be observed by many across the Northern Hemisphere. Its nucleus was estimated to be about 500 meters in diameter, but the comet’s activity far outshined its small size. Because of its highly elongated orbit, Comet PanSTARRS is not expected to return for thousands—or even millions—of years, making its 2013 appearance a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle for modern observers.

I used a tripod mounted Nikon D60 (DSLR) and 200mm lens to capture these images of the comet and Moon on March 12, 2013. Exposure times were 1/4 second to 1 second. Click on any of the images below to go to the gallery for a better view and details regarding each image.