C/2017 Y2 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	4 Nov 2020	16.8	4.621 AU	5.315 AU	17h20m	-01°47'	41.6°	8.2°	68°
Nearest approach	24 May 2021	16.5	4.890 AU	3.887 AU	16h39m	-17°06'	171.4°	1.8°	243°
Today	12 Jul 2025	24.9	12.713 AU	12.963 AU	10h11m	-40°44'	73.6°	4.4°	140°

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 Y2 (PANSTARRS) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0010360
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.6209610
            i (Inclination)                 : 128.44770
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 66.02880
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 147.80160
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 87.41133
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 24.66534
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459158.39580

            Epoch                           : 2025 Jul 11
            Reference                       : MPEC 2024-DC6

            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 (15.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 4.01 + 5 log[∆] + 13.85 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
2025-07-12 00:00 UT   10 10 58.5   -40 45 19    12.960   12.712   73.7    4.4   140   24.9 
2025-07-12 05:22 UT   10 11 01.1   -40 44 54    12.963   12.713   73.6    4.4   140   24.9 
2025-07-13 00:00 UT   10 11 10.2   -40 43 32    12.976   12.718   73.1    4.4   141   24.9 
2025-07-14 00:00 UT   10 11 22.1   -40 41 49    12.992   12.723   72.5    4.4   142   24.9 
2025-07-15 00:00 UT   10 11 34.2   -40 40 09    13.008   12.728   71.9    4.4   142   24.9 
2025-07-16 00:00 UT   10 11 46.5   -40 38 33    13.023   12.734   71.3    4.3   143   24.9 
2025-07-17 00:00 UT   10 11 59.0   -40 37 00    13.039   12.739   70.7    4.3   144   24.9 
2025-07-18 00:00 UT   10 12 11.6   -40 35 31    13.055   12.745   70.1    4.3   145   24.9 
2025-07-19 00:00 UT   10 12 24.4   -40 34 06    13.070   12.750   69.5    4.3   145   24.9 
2025-07-20 00:00 UT   10 12 37.4   -40 32 44    13.086   12.756   68.9    4.3   146   24.9 
2025-07-21 00:00 UT   10 12 50.6   -40 31 26    13.101   12.761   68.3    4.2   147   24.9 
2025-07-22 00:00 UT   10 13 04.0   -40 30 11    13.116   12.767   67.7    4.2   148   24.9 

    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.