C/2013 X1 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	24 Apr 2016	9.4	1.307 AU	1.919 AU	23h37m	+00°42'	39.4°	29.2°	250°
Nearest approach	23 Jun 2016	7.7	1.577 AU	0.618 AU	19h55m	-46°06'	148.6°	19.6°	307°
Today	3 Apr 2026	27.6	24.801 AU	23.891 AU	11h08m	-07°00'	154.9°	1.0°	88°

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)                : 1.0009440
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.3073940
    i (Inclination)                 : 163.05550
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 132.03020
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 165.49550
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 145.92996
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 4.18598
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2457502.95650

    Epoch                           : 2026 Apr 02
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-04-02 00:00 UT   11 09 11.7   -07 02 23    23.874   24.793  156.4    0.9    86   27.6 
2026-04-03 00:00 UT   11 09 02.9   -07 01 13    23.884   24.798  155.5    1.0    87   27.6 
2026-04-03 14:30 UT   11 08 57.6   -07 00 30    23.891   24.801  154.9    1.0    88   27.6 
2026-04-04 00:00 UT   11 08 54.2   -07 00 02    23.895   24.803  154.6    1.0    88   27.6 
2026-04-05 00:00 UT   11 08 45.6   -06 58 52    23.906   24.807  153.7    1.0    89   27.6 
2026-04-06 00:00 UT   11 08 37.0   -06 57 41    23.918   24.812  152.7    1.1    90   27.7 
2026-04-07 00:00 UT   11 08 28.5   -06 56 31    23.930   24.817  151.8    1.1    91   27.7 
2026-04-08 00:00 UT   11 08 20.2   -06 55 21    23.942   24.822  150.9    1.1    92   27.7 
2026-04-09 00:00 UT   11 08 11.9   -06 54 11    23.954   24.826  149.9    1.2    93   27.7 
2026-04-10 00:00 UT   11 08 03.7   -06 53 01    23.966   24.831  149.0    1.2    94   27.7 
2026-04-11 00:00 UT   11 07 55.6   -06 51 51    23.979   24.836  148.1    1.2    94   27.7 
2026-04-12 00:00 UT   11 07 47.6   -06 50 41    23.992   24.841  147.1    1.3    95   27.7 
2026-04-13 00:00 UT   11 07 39.7   -06 49 32    24.006   24.846  146.2    1.3    96   27.7 

    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.