The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (Narit) is encouraging peopleto try to catch a glimpse of an approaching comet that will be visible to the naked eye only once in a lifetime.
Comet C/2011 L4 (Panstarrs), a non-periodic comet discovered in June 2011, is expected to be visible in the western part of the sky for about half an hour after sunset from Friday until March 17, Saran Poshyachinda, deputy director of Narit said.
The comet could be spotted easily if the sky is clear and free from too much pollution, he said. The comet will become brightest on Sunday when it orbits closest to the sun. Panstarrs would appear near the skyline close to the Pisces constellation, he said.
However, Narit's monitoring of the comet last month showed it was less bright than expected, which could make it more difficult for enthusiasts to observe it, Mr Saran said.
Panstarrs was discovered using the Pan-STARRS telescope located near the summit of Haleakala, on the island of Maui in Hawaii.