Skip to content
Vatican Observatory
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Tours
    • Castel Gandolfo
    • U.S.
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
  • Shop
  • Calendar
    • View our Event Calendar
  • Donate
    • Donate Now
    • Smart Ways to Give
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
    • VO in the News
    • Press Kit
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Tours
    • Castel Gandolfo
    • U.S.
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
  • Shop
  • Calendar
    • View our Event Calendar
  • Donate
    • Donate Now
    • Smart Ways to Give
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
    • VO in the News
    • Press Kit
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact

Comet – C/2017 S3 (PanSTARRS)

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  20 Jul 2018

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email
Comet -C/2017 S3 ( PanSTARRS) July 18th 2018 from Louisburgh Ireland The grey mess top left is grey and white pastel I rubbed into the card so I could pick it up on my fine brush to drop it in my drawing. Comet – C/2017 S3 ( PanSTARRS) July 18th 2018 from Louisburgh Ireland. The grey mess top left is grey and white pastel I rubbed into the card so I could pick it up on my fine brush to drop it in my drawing.

Comet observation details

Comet – C/2017 S3 ( PanSTARRS) Sketch July 18th 2018 00:00 UT
Camelopardalis
Louisburgh Co Mayo Ireland
South is up.
Dob / 1,200 mm FL, 32 mm eyepiece, Magnification 37X
DC 6, Mag7.5 / 8
Coma symmetrical
Seeing poor
No colour visible
No tail visible
No filters used
Pastel and gel pen on black card

Observing and drawing Comet C/2017 S3 (PanSTARRS)

In Ireland we are having the best summer weather in over 40 years. Days of continental heat,water restrictions, dry ground , struggling plants and animals. Ironically despite the clear daytime skies the sun itself has been almost devoid of drama. My more recent focus of attention has turned to a new kid on the block. Comet –  C/2017 S3 (PanSTARRS) on its first visit to our solar system.  An icy comet oozing gasses from within itself as it heads toward the sun.  Perihelion is on August 15th, many think it will not survive past this point. On that date it will be 0.21 AU ( Astronomical Units) from the sun.  Its journey has so far given us two recent outbursts making it jump up in magnitude and therfore become visible under dark skies. A visitor from the Oort cloud in our own backyard. Something unique to seek , find and record.

At the moment even midnight holds onto the light of day, therefore  as the comet heads downwards it will be increasingly difficult to observe. A short window for viewing is available so if you can make the most of that.  The comets coma is approxmatly 260,000 km in diameter, imagine if we could observe it from a spacecraft as it zoomed by.
While I was observing, Mars dazzeled like an emergency becon over my right shoulder. The galaxy arced overhead.  That magnificent  highway of stars dust and gas just had to be ignored while I searched for my target. The nightsky surounding Cappela was bright. Inky dark clouds moving slowly settled from time to time, frustrating my efforts to find the comet.
Bats darted around, sheep baaed as Atlantic waves broke on the shore below. Capella flashed out of the cloud when it finally decided to move along eastward. Eventually I star hopped my way to my target, which like most comets looked like a grey blob of candy floss hanging around in a star field. It is always a special pleasure to find and draw a comet, mainly I guess because it is a  moving object and a new object.  At 2am local time I hoped to get a second sketch to show the comet’s movement through the field of view, however clouds prevented that. Am hopeful that a few clear nights will come my way soon and another sketch or two will satisfy my curiosity. The Sky Live will help you find it or you  could ask at your local astronomy club. Here in the link is some information about the Pan-STARRS Telescope system in Hawaii.
Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

Sacred Space Astronomy

The Vatican Observatory’s official digital community and online magazine.

Become a Member

Recent Posts

From the Backyard: Milky Way Season, Faith and Citizen Science.

By Fr. James Kurzynski  |  26 May 2025

Thoom! Pow!! ZZZzzzzzkkKTTT!!! – Battling Space Aliens Since 1898 (re-run)

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  24 May 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Corkscrew Prom

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  21 May 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

From the Vatican Observatory Faith and Science pages (Younger Readers) — Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas

By Faith and Science  |  21 May 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Archives

      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • August
      • June
      • March
      • January
      • November
      • October
      • December
      • November
      • April
      • May
      • January
      • December
      • September
      • May
      • March
      • December
      • November
      • February

More Posts by
Deirdre Kelleghan

Corkscrew Prom

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  21 May 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Crescent Moon and the Pleiades meet up

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  7 Apr 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Earth Focus

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  16 Feb 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Islands on a sea of gas

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  8 Feb 2025  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Orion Nebulae all over the classrooms

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  27 Nov 2024  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Last Naked Eye View of C/2023 A3(Tsuchinshan ATLAS)

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  8 Nov 2024  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

View More

Newsletter

Upcoming astronomical events, scientific breakthroughs, philosophical reflections… just a few reasons to subscribe to our newsletter!

Vatican Observatory
  • About
  • Telescopes
  • Tours
  • Latest
  • Podcast
  • Education
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Donate
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
Privacy Policy  |   Cookie Policy  |   Disclosure Statement  |   This website is supported by the Vatican Observatory Foundation

Podcast:

  • Apple Podcasts Listen onApple Podcasts
  • Spotify Listen onSpotify
  • Google Podcasts Listen onGoogle Podcasts
  • Stitcher Listen onStitcher
  • Amazon Alexa Listen onAmazon Alexa
  • TuneIn Listen onTuneIn
Made by Longbeard