C/2017 S3 (PANSTARRS) - DISINTEGRATED
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Disintegration	26 Jul 2018	7.3	0.717 AU	0.957 AU	05h57m	+51°45'	42.5°	73.1°	306°
Nearest approach	7 Aug 2018	5.2	0.381 AU	0.756 AU	08h02m	+25°45'	18.5°	122.6°	297°
Perihelion	17 Aug 2018	-	0.203 AU	0.973 AU	09h30m	+02°33'	11.5°	95.4°	197°
Today	5 Feb 2025	-	19.343 AU	18.926 AU	13h49m	+64°26'	113.6°	2.7°	257°

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/2017 S3 (PANSTARRS) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0000970
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.2034580
            i (Inclination)                 : 99.14200
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 171.18370
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 255.74140
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 139.16986
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -73.11366
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458347.56100

            Epoch                           : 2023 Sep 24
            Reference                       : MPC114599

            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 (12.90 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 9.21 + 5 log[∆] + 12.34 log[r]). The additional green curve shows the effect of forward scattering, occurring when the comet is between the earth and the sun, for a gas-to-dust light ratio δ90 of 0.30. (See Marcus 2007)

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
2025-02-05 00:00 UT   13 49 19.0   +64 24 29    18.925   19.340  113.5    2.7   258   31.5 
2025-02-05 12:02 UT   13 49 15.2   +64 26 02    18.926   19.343  113.6    2.7   257   31.5 
2025-02-06 00:00 UT   13 49 11.3   +64 27 35    18.928   19.345  113.7    2.7   257   31.5 
2025-02-07 00:00 UT   13 49 03.1   +64 30 39    18.931   19.351  113.8    2.7   255   31.5 
2025-02-08 00:00 UT   13 48 54.4   +64 33 43    18.935   19.357  113.9    2.7   254   31.5 
2025-02-09 00:00 UT   13 48 45.2   +64 36 46    18.938   19.362  114.1    2.7   253   31.5 
2025-02-10 00:00 UT   13 48 35.6   +64 39 48    18.942   19.368  114.2    2.7   252   31.5 
2025-02-11 00:00 UT   13 48 25.4   +64 42 48    18.946   19.373  114.3    2.7   251   31.5 
2025-02-12 00:00 UT   13 48 14.8   +64 45 48    18.950   19.379  114.4    2.7   250   31.5 
2025-02-13 00:00 UT   13 48 03.8   +64 48 46    18.954   19.384  114.5    2.7   248   31.5 
2025-02-14 00:00 UT   13 47 52.2   +64 51 44    18.958   19.390  114.6    2.7   247   31.5 
2025-02-15 00:00 UT   13 47 40.2   +64 54 40    18.962   19.395  114.6    2.7   246   31.5 

    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.