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	3 Dec 2025	27.7	20.644 AU	21.109 AU	12h19m	-17°13'	60.6°	2.4°	286°

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
2025-12-02 00:00 UT   12 19 44.4   -17 12 28    21.123   20.637   59.2    2.4   286   27.7 
2025-12-03 00:00 UT   12 19 47.6   -17 13 27    21.113   20.642   60.2    2.4   286   27.7 
2025-12-03 09:19 UT   12 19 48.8   -17 13 50    21.109   20.644   60.6    2.4   286   27.7 
2025-12-04 00:00 UT   12 19 50.6   -17 14 26    21.103   20.647   61.2    2.4   286   27.7 
2025-12-05 00:00 UT   12 19 53.5   -17 15 24    21.093   20.652   62.1    2.4   287   27.7 
2025-12-06 00:00 UT   12 19 56.2   -17 16 22    21.083   20.657   63.1    2.4   287   27.7 
2025-12-07 00:00 UT   12 19 58.7   -17 17 19    21.073   20.662   64.1    2.5   287   27.7 
2025-12-08 00:00 UT   12 20 01.0   -17 18 15    21.063   20.667   65.0    2.5   287   27.7 
2025-12-09 00:00 UT   12 20 03.2   -17 19 10    21.052   20.672   66.0    2.5   288   27.7 
2025-12-10 00:00 UT   12 20 05.1   -17 20 05    21.042   20.677   66.9    2.5   288   27.7 
2025-12-11 00:00 UT   12 20 06.9   -17 20 59    21.031   20.682   67.9    2.5   288   27.7 
2025-12-12 00:00 UT   12 20 08.6   -17 21 52    21.020   20.687   68.9    2.5   289   27.7 
2025-12-13 00:00 UT   12 20 10.0   -17 22 44    21.009   20.692   69.9    2.6   289   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.