C/2013 X1 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	23 Apr 2016	9.4	1.314 AU	1.934 AU	23h36m	+00°30'	38.9°	28.7°	250°
Nearest approach	22 Jun 2016	7.8	1.587 AU	0.628 AU	19h54m	-45°56'	148.8°	19.4°	307°
Today	20 Nov 2025	27.6	24.154 AU	24.572 AU	11h22m	-07°52'	63.9°	2.1°	288°

The interactive orbit chart above shows the comet's path through the solar system and its position at the given date. Green and blue lines are shown perpendicular to the ecliptic plane: Green if the path is above the ecliptic plane, blue if it is below. (Left-click and drag to rotate the view; Right-click and drag to move the view; Use scroll wheel to zoom in our out.)

Light curve

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations from COBS. This lightcurve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 6.8 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 log[r]). An additional green curve is displayed when an increase in apparent brightness is expected due to forward scattering of sunlight, which occurs when a dust-rich comet is located between the Earth and the Sun. (See Marcus 2007)

Charts

The all-sky chart below shows the path of the comet over the same period as the light curve. The comet's current position is marked yellow.

The following chart shows the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Orbital elements

The orbital elements of C/2013 X1 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0009580
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.3143490
    i (Inclination)                 : 163.07850
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 132.04060
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 165.48690
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 145.95026
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 4.18289
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2457502.05400

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 19
    Reference                       : MPC111767

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-11-19 00:00 UT   11 22 24.9   -07 51 43    24.586   24.147   62.6    2.1   288   27.6 
2025-11-20 00:00 UT   11 22 27.7   -07 52 26    24.575   24.152   63.6    2.1   288   27.6 
2025-11-20 08:34 UT   11 22 28.6   -07 52 41    24.572   24.154   63.9    2.1   288   27.6 
2025-11-21 00:00 UT   11 22 30.3   -07 53 08    24.565   24.157   64.5    2.1   288   27.6 
2025-11-22 00:00 UT   11 22 32.8   -07 53 49    24.554   24.162   65.5    2.1   288   27.6 
2025-11-23 00:00 UT   11 22 35.1   -07 54 30    24.543   24.167   66.5    2.1   289   27.6 
2025-11-24 00:00 UT   11 22 37.3   -07 55 10    24.532   24.172   67.5    2.2   289   27.6 
2025-11-25 00:00 UT   11 22 39.4   -07 55 50    24.521   24.176   68.4    2.2   289   27.6 
2025-11-26 00:00 UT   11 22 41.2   -07 56 28    24.510   24.181   69.4    2.2   289   27.6 
2025-11-27 00:00 UT   11 22 43.0   -07 57 06    24.499   24.186   70.4    2.2   290   27.6 
2025-11-28 00:00 UT   11 22 44.6   -07 57 43    24.487   24.191   71.4    2.2   290   27.6 
2025-11-29 00:00 UT   11 22 46.0   -07 58 19    24.476   24.196   72.4    2.2   290   27.6 
2025-11-30 00:00 UT   11 22 47.3   -07 58 55    24.464   24.201   73.3    2.2   290   27.6 

    Terminology:
            
    delta:  distance between comet and earth in AU
    radius: distance between comet and sun in AU
    magn:   magnitude (brightness) estimate    
    ra:     right ascension in hours (24h = 360deg)
    dec:    declination in degrees
    elong:  elongation in degrees (angle sun-earth-comet)    
    phase:  phase angle in degrees (angle sun-comet-earth)        
    AU:     Astronomical Unit (mean distance between earth and sun: 149597870.7 km      
    

Orbital elements usually provided by the MPC (Minor Planet Center).
Observations contributed by observers worldwide, via COBS (Comet Observation Database) or the MPC (Minor Planet Center)
Calculations by a modified version of AAPlus, a C# implementation of the AA+ project by PJ Naughter from the algorithms presented in the book "Astronomical Algorithms" by Jean Meeus.
NGC2000 dso catalog and star labels from VizieR as provided by the Strasbourg astronomical Data Center.
Tycho2 catalog from the ESO archive.