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C/2017 F2 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Perihelion27 Nov 201720.26.900 AU7.345 AU 13h19m+20°41'59.7°7.1°312°
Nearest approach31 Mar 201819.86.947 AU6.042 AU 13h23m+20°30'153.0°3.7°206°
Today15 Nov 202627.019.684 AU20.306 AU 18h04m-58°48'49.9°2.2°126°
C/2017 F2 (PANSTARRS)- 2026-11-15
astro.vanbuitenen.nl


 
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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. The light curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from an MPEC, or the latest values provided by the minor planet center. (7.5 + 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/2017 F2 (PANSTARRS) are: 

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0024440
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 6.8997130
    i (Inclination)                 : 42.52330
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 38.62030
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 134.79560
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 2.03455
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 28.66113
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458085.13190

    Epoch                           : 2026 Nov 14
    Reference                       : MPC194151

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-11-14 00:00 UT   18 03 54.5   -58 50 14    20.284   19.676   50.9    2.2   125   27.0 
2026-11-15 00:00 UT   18 04 16.4   -58 49 24    20.297   19.680   50.3    2.2   126   27.0 
2026-11-15 17:16 UT   18 04 32.3   -58 48 49    20.306   19.684   49.9    2.2   126   27.0 
2026-11-16 00:00 UT   18 04 38.5   -58 48 35    20.310   19.685   49.7    2.2   126   27.0 
2026-11-17 00:00 UT   18 05 00.8   -58 47 48    20.323   19.689   49.1    2.2   127   27.0 
2026-11-18 00:00 UT   18 05 23.3   -58 47 01    20.335   19.694   48.4    2.2   128   27.0 
2026-11-19 00:00 UT   18 05 46.0   -58 46 16    20.347   19.698   47.8    2.1   129   27.0 
2026-11-20 00:00 UT   18 06 08.9   -58 45 32    20.360   19.702   47.2    2.1   130   27.0 
2026-11-21 00:00 UT   18 06 31.9   -58 44 50    20.371   19.707   46.7    2.1   131   27.0 
2026-11-22 00:00 UT   18 06 55.1   -58 44 09    20.383   19.711   46.1    2.1   132   27.0 
2026-11-23 00:00 UT   18 07 18.5   -58 43 29    20.395   19.716   45.5    2.0   133   27.0 
2026-11-24 00:00 UT   18 07 42.0   -58 42 50    20.406   19.720   45.0    2.0   134   27.0 
2026-11-25 00:00 UT   18 08 05.7   -58 42 12    20.417   19.725   44.4    2.0   135   27.0 




    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.

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