C/2015 VL62 (Lemmon-Yeung-PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	21 Aug 2017	13.5	2.726 AU	1.745 AU	21h33m	+04°20'	162.2°	6.5°	157°
Perihelion	28 Aug 2017	13.5	2.725 AU	1.766 AU	21h06m	+01°19'	157.2°	8.2°	119°
Today	16 Jan 2026	27.7	20.862 AU	20.607 AU	12h19m	-17°41'	103.7°	2.6°	298°

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 7.9 + 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/2015 VL62 (Lemmon-Yeung-PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0019130
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.7251090
    i (Inclination)                 : 165.82460
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 95.21370
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 129.02130
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 145.32310
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 10.96789
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2457993.75870

    Epoch                           : 2022 Sep 14
    Reference                       : MPC115881

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-01-15 00:00 UT   12 19 09.3   -17 41 40    20.621   20.857  102.5    2.6   297   27.7 
2026-01-16 00:00 UT   12 19 04.2   -17 41 53    20.609   20.862  103.5    2.6   298   27.7 
2026-01-16 03:16 UT   12 19 03.5   -17 41 55    20.607   20.862  103.7    2.6   298   27.7 
2026-01-17 00:00 UT   12 18 58.8   -17 42 06    20.597   20.866  104.5    2.6   298   27.7 
2026-01-18 00:00 UT   12 18 53.3   -17 42 16    20.586   20.871  105.5    2.6   298   27.7 
2026-01-19 00:00 UT   12 18 47.6   -17 42 26    20.575   20.876  106.5    2.6   299   27.7 
2026-01-20 00:00 UT   12 18 41.7   -17 42 34    20.563   20.881  107.5    2.6   299   27.7 
2026-01-21 00:00 UT   12 18 35.6   -17 42 40    20.552   20.886  108.5    2.6   299   27.7 
2026-01-22 00:00 UT   12 18 29.3   -17 42 46    20.541   20.891  109.5    2.5   299   27.7 
2026-01-23 00:00 UT   12 18 22.8   -17 42 49    20.530   20.896  110.5    2.5   300   27.7 
2026-01-24 00:00 UT   12 18 16.2   -17 42 52    20.519   20.901  111.5    2.5   300   27.7 
2026-01-25 00:00 UT   12 18 09.3   -17 42 52    20.508   20.906  112.6    2.5   300   27.7 
2026-01-26 00:00 UT   12 18 02.3   -17 42 52    20.498   20.911  113.6    2.5   301   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.