Reading time: < 1minuteLeft: Comet (center) amidst stars in the backgroundRight: Image of comet as it moves across the sky, a faint tail can be seen extending to the southwest (images: Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telsecope)
A new comet discovered this summer by University of Hawaiʻi’s Pan-STARRS1 telescope atop Hakeakalā may become bright enough for spectators to see as it moves closer to Earth. UH Institute for Astronomy (IfA) astronomer Robert Weryk first spotted the comet on July 26, and after it was reported to the Minor Planet Center, telescopes from around the globe confirmed its cometary nature.
