C/2019 Y5 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	15 Aug 2019	17.5	4.939 AU	4.930 AU	04h45m	-34°07'	84.6°	11.8°	249°
Nearest approach	9 Nov 2019	17.2	4.983 AU	4.340 AU	03h54m	-35°47'	125.6°	9.3°	343°
Today	15 Aug 2026	20.4	16.919 AU	17.054 AU	02h19m	+76°39'	80.6°	3.4°	248°

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 13.8 + 5 log[∆] + .4 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 Y5 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9926480
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.9387460
    i (Inclination)                 : 82.79780
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 51.80180
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 303.69180
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 41.15200
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -55.63604
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458711.42320
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 17410.72

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194165

    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
2026-08-14 00:00 UT   02 20 01.0   +76 35 30    17.059   16.913   80.0    3.4   249   20.4 
2026-08-15 00:00 UT   02 19 42.5   +76 38 54    17.055   16.918   80.5    3.4   248   20.4 
2026-08-15 06:27 UT   02 19 37.3   +76 39 49    17.054   16.919   80.6    3.4   248   20.4 
2026-08-16 00:00 UT   02 19 22.8   +76 42 17    17.051   16.923   81.0    3.4   247   20.4 
2026-08-17 00:00 UT   02 19 02.1   +76 45 39    17.047   16.928   81.5    3.4   246   20.4 
2026-08-18 00:00 UT   02 18 40.2   +76 48 59    17.043   16.933   82.0    3.4   245   20.4 
2026-08-19 00:00 UT   02 18 17.3   +76 52 17    17.039   16.938   82.5    3.4   244   20.4 
2026-08-20 00:00 UT   02 17 53.2   +76 55 34    17.036   16.943   83.0    3.4   244   20.4 
2026-08-21 00:00 UT   02 17 28.0   +76 58 50    17.032   16.947   83.5    3.4   243   20.4 
2026-08-22 00:00 UT   02 17 01.6   +77 02 04    17.028   16.952   84.0    3.4   242   20.4 
2026-08-23 00:00 UT   02 16 34.1   +77 05 16    17.023   16.957   84.5    3.4   241   20.4 
2026-08-24 00:00 UT   02 16 05.5   +77 08 26    17.019   16.962   85.0    3.4   240   20.4 
2026-08-25 00:00 UT   02 15 35.7   +77 11 34    17.015   16.967   85.5    3.4   239   20.4 

    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.