From March 5 to 24, the Comet Pan-STARRS will be passing within view of the Bay Area with binoculars, clear skies, and a unobstructed view of the horizon, according to NASA.
The Urban Astronomer of San Francisco has a list of viewing tips at urbanastronomer.blogspot.com.
By March 10 it will get brighter and it may develop a classic comet dust tail when it passes closest to the sun, according to EarthSky.org, which has a Pan-STARRS viewing guide.
To see it, you'll have to look to the western horizon just after sunset, away from streetlights and other sources of light. Near the coast on high ground, including ridges, will offer some of the best viewing locations.
Depending on the date, it should be visible just after sunset for up to 45 minutes. It will climb higher and be visible longer later in the month. Around March 12 to March 13, the new moon could provide an additional visual treat, according to EarthSky.
The comet gets its name from who discovered it, in this case, the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System, operated by the University of Hawaii on Mount Haleakala on the island of Maui.
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