Christmas comets

November sees the distant C/2017 T2 (PANSTARRS) continue its northern drift through Auriga. Earlier reports of an extended coma and unexpectedly bright magnitude estimates have not been confirmed and most observations noted the comet to be small and condensed at about magnitude 14 when it reappeared in the morning sky during August. Unless an extended coma emerges, the comet is not expected to be brighter than magnitude 10 to 11 during November as it slides out of view for southern observers. It will return as an evening object around mid-2020, when it may be in the magnitude 9.5–10 range according to present indications.

Although the