Comet Pan-STARRS and the Moon: Spectacular Stargazer Photos

Moon and Comet Pan-STARRS Over Las Vegas

Tyler Leavitt

Astrophotographer Tyler Leavitt sent in a photo of the crescent moon and Comet Pan-STARRS over Las Vegas. Image submitted March 13, 2013. [Full Story: Comet Pan-STARRS and the Moon Wow Stargazers]

Comet Pan-STARRS

Dale P. Cruikshank

Dr. Dale P. Cruikshank of NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., took this photo of Comet Pan-STARRS on March 12, 2013. [Full Story: Comet Pan-STARRS and the Moon Wow Stargazers]

Comet Pan-STARRS Over Albuquerque, NM

Charles Medendorp

Astrophotographer Charles Medendorp sent in a photo of Comet Pan-STARRS and the crescent moon taken from the base of the Sandia mountains overlooking Albuquerque, New Mexico, on March 12, 2013. [Full Story: Comet Pan-STARRS and the Moon Wow Stargazers]

Comet PanStarrs Near Moon

Adam Block/Mount Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona

Comet Pan-STARRS and the moon shine in this image from the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter taken by Adam Block. Image submitted March 12, 2013. [Full Story: Comet Pan-STARRS and the Moon Wow Stargazers]

Comet Pan-STARRS Zoomed

Adam Block/Mount Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona

Comet Pan-STARRS glows in this image from the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter taken by Adam Block. Image submitted March 12, 2013. [Full Story: Comet Pan-STARRS and the Moon Wow Stargazers]

Comet Pan-STARRS and the Moon over Arizona

Sean Parker / www.facebook.com/SeanParkerPhotography

Astrophotographer Sean Parker took this three-photo panorama from just outside Tucson, Ariz., on March 13, 2013. "You can see the crescent moon at the top, 3 bright stars from Pisces underneath it, and Comet PANSTARRS near the crooked cactus. This is also a frame from a time-lapse," Parker wrote on his Facebook page.

Moon, Comet Pan-STARRS and Church in Rio Rancho, NM

Josh Knutson

Astrophotographer Josh Knutson sent in a photo of the crescent moon and Comet Pan-STARRS setting, with a church in the foreground. Photo taken northwest of Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Image submitted March 12, 2013. [Full Story: Comet Pan-STARRS and the Moon Wow Stargazers]

Crescent Moon With Aurora (Child) in New Mexico

Josh Knutson

Astrophotographer Josh Knutson sent in a photo of his daughter, Aurora, pointing in silhouette at the crescent new moon, taken northwest of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, as they were out looking for Comet Pan-STARRS. The light at upper right appears to be the viewfinder of a camera on a tripod. Image submitted March 12, 2013. [Full Story: Comet Pan-STARRS and the Moon Wow Stargazers]

Moon and Comet Pan-STARRS Over Rio Rancho, NM

Josh Knutson

Astrophotographer Josh Knutson sent in a photo of the crescent new moon and Comet Pan-STARRS taken northwest of Rio Rancho, New Mexico. A church stands in the foreground of this picture. Image submitted March 12, 2013. [Full Story: Comet Pan-STARRS and the Moon Wow Stargazers]

Comet Pan-STARRS and the Moon Over the Hill Country of Texas

James Zeman

Astrophotographer James Zeman sent in a photo of Comet Pan-STARRS and the moon in the Hill Country of Texas near Dripping Springs. He writes: "The comet was barely visible with the naked eye, and there was considerable haze on the horizon." Image submitted March 13, 2013. [Full Story: Comet Pan-STARRS and the Moon Wow Stargazers]

Comet Pan-STARRS Explained (Infographic)

Karl Tate, Space.com Infographics Artist

A fresh visitor from the icy Oort Cloud at the edge of the solar system, Comet Pan-STARRS brightens Earth's sky in March, 2013. [Full Story: Comet Pan-STARRS and the Moon Wow Stargazers]

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Tariq Malik
Editor-in-Chief

Tariq is the Editor-in-Chief of Space.com and joined the team in 2001, first as an intern and staff writer, and later as an editor. He covers human spaceflight, exploration and space science, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Managing Editor in 2009 and Editor-in-Chief in 2019. Before joining Space.com, Tariq was a staff reporter for The Los Angeles Times covering education and city beats in La Habra, Fullerton and Huntington Beach. In October 2022, Tariq received the Harry Kolcum Award for excellence in space reporting from the National Space Club Florida Committee. He is also an Eagle Scout (yes, he has the Space Exploration merit badge) and went to Space Camp four times as a kid and a fifth time as an adult. He has journalism degrees from the University of Southern California and New York University. You can find Tariq at Space.com and as the co-host to the This Week In Space podcast with space historian Rod Pyle on the TWiT network. To see his latest project, you can follow Tariq on Twitter @tariqjmalik.