UH-Discovered Comet Could Become Visible in Spring 2022

A new comet discovered this summer by University of Hawaiʻi’s Pan-STARRS1 telescope atop Haleakalā may become bright enough for spectators to see as it moves closer to Earth.

At last check, the non-threatening object is about four times as far from the Earth as the Sun. It will become brighter and could be visible to the naked eye in late April or early May 2022.

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. The discovery was officially announced on Aug. 1 and is named comet C/2021 O3 (PANSTARRS).

“We are thrilled that Pan-STARRS has discovered a new comet that many people on Earth may be able to see,” said IfA Astronomer Richard Wainscoat, who leads the Near-Earth Object (NEO) survey project with Pan-STARRS. “Although it may be a little challenging to see with the unaided eye, it should be easy to see with binoculars or a small telescope.”

As Comet C/2021 O3 (PANSTARRS) approaches the Earth and the Sun next spring, the Sun’s radiation will warm the surface of the comet which will cause it to brighten as gas and dust are released from its icy surface. According to Wainscoat, the comet will be closest to the Sun on April 20, 2022, and will pass inside Mercury’s orbit.

Monitoring movement on Maunakea

UH astronomers will use telescopes on Maunakea to study the comet as it approaches and after it has passed the Sun. Some comets do not survive such close passages to the Sun.

The best chance to see the comet may be in the first few days of May (before the Moon becomes too bright) when the comet will be low in the western sky after sunset. It may be easier to see from the neighbor islands than from Oʻahu, where there is more light pollution.

Pan-STARRS searches the sky every night for moving objects in an effort to discover NEOs such as asteroids and comets that may pose a threat. The 1.8-meter telescope is a world leader in finding larger NEOs, and is funded by NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office through its Near-Earth Object Observations Program.