C/2019 A9 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	27 Jul 2019	12.5	1.425 AU	2.134 AU	07h30m	-12°53'	34.9°	24.1°	203°
Nearest approach	5 Sep 2019	12.6	1.529 AU	1.914 AU	09h23m	-41°20'	52.7°	31.6°	209°
Today	13 Jan 2026	28.0	17.189 AU	18.045 AU	18h43m	+03°36'	28.6°	1.6°	332°

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 9.3 + 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/2019 A9 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9637930
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.4252580
    i (Inclination)                 : 84.40570
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 278.47390
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 237.86970
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 287.29695
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -57.43777
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458692.20690
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 246.97

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPC118842

    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
2026-01-12 00:00 UT   18 43 11.0   +03 34 39    18.042   17.180   28.0    1.5   335   28.0 
2026-01-13 00:00 UT   18 43 24.0   +03 35 31    18.044   17.185   28.4    1.6   333   28.0 
2026-01-13 17:09 UT   18 43 33.3   +03 36 09    18.045   17.189   28.6    1.6   332   28.0 
2026-01-14 00:00 UT   18 43 37.0   +03 36 24    18.046   17.190   28.7    1.6   331   28.0 
2026-01-15 00:00 UT   18 43 50.0   +03 37 19    18.048   17.195   29.1    1.6   329   28.0 
2026-01-16 00:00 UT   18 44 02.8   +03 38 15    18.049   17.200   29.5    1.6   328   28.0 
2026-01-17 00:00 UT   18 44 15.6   +03 39 13    18.050   17.205   29.9    1.6   326   28.0 
2026-01-18 00:00 UT   18 44 28.4   +03 40 12    18.051   17.210   30.3    1.7   324   28.0 
2026-01-19 00:00 UT   18 44 41.0   +03 41 13    18.052   17.215   30.8    1.7   322   28.0 
2026-01-20 00:00 UT   18 44 53.6   +03 42 15    18.053   17.220   31.3    1.7   321   28.0 
2026-01-21 00:00 UT   18 45 06.1   +03 43 18    18.053   17.225   31.8    1.7   319   28.0 
2026-01-22 00:00 UT   18 45 18.6   +03 44 23    18.053   17.230   32.3    1.7   318   28.0 
2026-01-23 00:00 UT   18 45 30.9   +03 45 29    18.053   17.234   32.8    1.8   316   28.0 

    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.