C/2018 F4 (PANSTARRS) - DISINTEGRATED
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	6 May 2019	14.5	3.938 AU	3.252 AU	11h54m	-59°00'	126.6°	11.9°	56°
Perihelion	30 Nov 2019	13.8	3.449 AU	3.793 AU	13h59m	-82°30'	62.4°	14.7°	218°
Disintegration	12 Sep 2020	15.6	4.316 AU	3.726 AU	03h01m	-37°15'	119.9°	11.7°	289°
Today	20 Apr 2026	-	16.564 AU	17.454 AU	01h17m	+37°17'	26.9°	1.6°	341°

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 .8 + 5 log[∆] + 18.8 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/2018 F4 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9978070
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.4486540
    i (Inclination)                 : 78.18330
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 26.56250
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 263.17910
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 86.27331
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -76.38027
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458817.93220
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 62361.49

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 16
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-04-19 00:00 UT   01 17 30.0   +37 14 37    17.442   16.555   27.1    1.6   344   29.9 
2026-04-20 00:00 UT   01 17 45.0   +37 16 28    17.449   16.560   26.9    1.6   342   29.9 
2026-04-20 18:39 UT   01 17 56.7   +37 17 55    17.454   16.564   26.9    1.6   341   29.9 
2026-04-21 00:00 UT   01 17 60.0   +37 18 21    17.455   16.565   26.9    1.6   340   29.9 
2026-04-22 00:00 UT   01 18 14.9   +37 20 15    17.461   16.571   26.8    1.6   338   29.9 
2026-04-23 00:00 UT   01 18 29.8   +37 22 10    17.467   16.576   26.8    1.6   336   29.9 
2026-04-24 00:00 UT   01 18 44.7   +37 24 06    17.472   16.581   26.8    1.6   334   29.9 
2026-04-25 00:00 UT   01 18 59.5   +37 26 04    17.477   16.587   26.8    1.6   332   29.9 
2026-04-26 00:00 UT   01 19 14.2   +37 28 03    17.482   16.592   26.9    1.6   330   29.9 
2026-04-27 00:00 UT   01 19 28.9   +37 30 03    17.487   16.597   27.0    1.6   328   29.9 
2026-04-28 00:00 UT   01 19 43.5   +37 32 04    17.492   16.603   27.1    1.6   326   29.9 
2026-04-29 00:00 UT   01 19 58.0   +37 34 06    17.496   16.608   27.3    1.6   324   29.9 
2026-04-30 00:00 UT   01 20 12.5   +37 36 10    17.500   16.613   27.4    1.6   322   30.0 

    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.