C/2018 F4 (PANSTARRS) - DISINTEGRATED
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	6 May 2019	14.5	3.939 AU	3.253 AU	11h54m	-58°59'	126.7°	11.9°	56°
Perihelion	30 Nov 2019	13.8	3.449 AU	3.793 AU	14h01m	-82°32'	62.4°	14.7°	218°
Disintegration	12 Sep 2020	15.6	4.315 AU	3.725 AU	03h01m	-37°17'	119.9°	11.7°	289°
Today	2 Oct 2025	-	15.492 AU	14.676 AU	01h20m	+38°53'	143.5°	2.2°	199°

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/2018 F4 (PANSTARRS) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9979180
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.4488840
            i (Inclination)                 : 78.15460
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 26.54710
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 263.19030
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 86.35887
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -76.36100
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458818.13720
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 67421.25

            Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 01
            Reference                       : MPEC 2023-A50

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)
        

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 (11.00 + 5 log[∆] + 15.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently .76 + 5 log[∆] + 18.82 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
2025-10-02 00:00 UT   01 21 18.7   +38 53 52    14.677   15.487  142.8    2.2   201   29.0 
2025-10-02 23:52 UT   01 20 59.2   +38 53 38    14.676   15.492  143.5    2.2   199   29.0 
2025-10-03 00:00 UT   01 20 59.1   +38 53 38    14.676   15.492  143.5    2.2   199   29.0 
2025-10-04 00:00 UT   01 20 39.5   +38 53 22    14.676   15.498  144.1    2.2   198   29.0 
2025-10-05 00:00 UT   01 20 19.9   +38 53 03    14.676   15.503  144.7    2.1   196   29.0 
2025-10-06 00:00 UT   01 20 00.1   +38 52 41    14.676   15.508  145.3    2.1   195   29.0 
2025-10-07 00:00 UT   01 19 40.4   +38 52 18    14.676   15.514  145.8    2.1   193   29.0 
2025-10-08 00:00 UT   01 19 20.6   +38 51 51    14.677   15.519  146.4    2.0   192   29.0 
2025-10-09 00:00 UT   01 19 00.7   +38 51 23    14.678   15.525  146.9    2.0   190   29.0 
2025-10-10 00:00 UT   01 18 40.8   +38 50 51    14.679   15.530  147.4    2.0   188   29.0 
2025-10-11 00:00 UT   01 18 20.9   +38 50 18    14.680   15.536  147.9    2.0   186   29.0 
2025-10-12 00:00 UT   01 18 01.0   +38 49 42    14.682   15.541  148.4    1.9   184   29.0 

    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.