C/2015 O1 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	20 Feb 2018	13.1	3.719 AU	3.542 AU	16h32m	+35°50'	92.5°	15.4°	282°
Nearest approach	5 Apr 2018	13.0	3.740 AU	3.224 AU	15h23m	+52°25'	113.7°	14.2°	220°
Today	20 Apr 2024	22.9	16.015 AU	16.371 AU	06h20m	-00°56'	67.6°	3.3°	103°

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.)

The orbital elements of C/2015 O1 (PANSTARRS) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0013020
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.7191240
            i (Inclination)                 : 127.16050
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 299.81790
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 89.50740
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 210.63336
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 52.83671
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458169.67540

            Epoch                           : 2023 Apr 14
            Reference                       : MPEC 2021-P47

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

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC. The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (6.50 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 4.66 + 5 log[∆] + 10.07 log[r]).

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.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.

The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.

A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Ephemerides:

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2024-04-20 00:00 UT   06 20 38.9   +00 56 18    16.365   16.014   67.9    3.3   103   22.8 
2024-04-20 08:18 UT   06 20 40.5   +00 56 00    16.371   16.015   67.6    3.3   103   22.9 
2024-04-21 00:00 UT   06 20 43.5   +00 55 27    16.384   16.019   67.0    3.3   103   22.9 
2024-04-22 00:00 UT   06 20 48.3   +00 54 37    16.404   16.024   66.2    3.3   104   22.9 
2024-04-23 00:00 UT   06 20 53.2   +00 53 48    16.423   16.030   65.3    3.3   104   22.9 
2024-04-24 00:00 UT   06 20 58.4   +00 53 01    16.443   16.035   64.4    3.2   105   22.9 
2024-04-25 00:00 UT   06 21 03.8   +00 52 14    16.462   16.040   63.6    3.2   105   22.9 
2024-04-26 00:00 UT   06 21 09.3   +00 51 28    16.481   16.046   62.8    3.2   106   22.9 
2024-04-27 00:00 UT   06 21 15.1   +00 50 42    16.500   16.051   61.9    3.2   106   22.9 
2024-04-28 00:00 UT   06 21 21.0   +00 49 58    16.519   16.056   61.1    3.1   107   22.9 
2024-04-29 00:00 UT   06 21 27.2   +00 49 15    16.537   16.062   60.2    3.1   107   22.9 
2024-04-30 00:00 UT   06 21 33.5   +00 48 33    16.556   16.067   59.4    3.1   108   22.9 

    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.