C/2014 S2 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	9 Dec 2015	9.1	2.073 AU	1.887 AU	16h52m	+63°32'	86.4°	28.3°	357°
Nearest approach	26 Feb 2016	9.4	2.270 AU	1.808 AU	15h18m	+70°56'	104.6°	25.0°	254°
Today	31 Dec 2025	25.3	23.880 AU	24.222 AU	12h59m	-57°42'	68.5°	2.2°	280°

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 4.6 + 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/2014 S2 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9877510
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.0730450
    i (Inclination)                 : 64.57130
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 8.21520
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 87.19600
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 91.70788
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 64.42740
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2457366.47310
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 2201.72

    Epoch                           : 2022 Mar 31
    Reference                       : MPC104790

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-12-30 00:00 UT   12 59 22.9   -57 39 12    24.231   23.872   67.4    2.2   278   25.3 
2025-12-31 00:00 UT   12 59 25.1   -57 41 24    24.226   23.877   68.1    2.2   279   25.3 
2025-12-31 16:34 UT   12 59 26.5   -57 42 55    24.222   23.880   68.5    2.2   280   25.3 
2026-01-01 00:00 UT   12 59 27.0   -57 43 36    24.220   23.881   68.7    2.2   280   25.3 
2026-01-02 00:00 UT   12 59 28.7   -57 45 47    24.214   23.886   69.3    2.2   281   25.3 
2026-01-03 00:00 UT   12 59 30.0   -57 47 58    24.209   23.890   70.0    2.2   281   25.3 
2026-01-04 00:00 UT   12 59 31.0   -57 50 09    24.203   23.895   70.6    2.2   282   25.3 
2026-01-05 00:00 UT   12 59 31.8   -57 52 19    24.196   23.900   71.3    2.2   283   25.3 
2026-01-06 00:00 UT   12 59 32.2   -57 54 28    24.190   23.904   71.9    2.2   284   25.3 
2026-01-07 00:00 UT   12 59 32.3   -57 56 37    24.184   23.909   72.6    2.2   285   25.3 
2026-01-08 00:00 UT   12 59 32.2   -57 58 46    24.178   23.913   73.2    2.3   285   25.3 
2026-01-09 00:00 UT   12 59 31.7   -58 00 54    24.171   23.918   73.9    2.3   286   25.3 
2026-01-10 00:00 UT   12 59 30.9   -58 03 01    24.165   23.922   74.6    2.3   287   25.3 

    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.