C/2019 Y5 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	16 Aug 2019	17.5	4.938 AU	4.928 AU	04h45m	-34°09'	84.7°	11.8°	249°
Nearest approach	9 Nov 2019	17.2	4.982 AU	4.340 AU	03h54m	-35°49'	125.6°	9.3°	343°
Today	8 May 2026	20.4	16.431 AU	16.985 AU	01h53m	+71°24'	55.2°	2.9°	340°

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)                : 0.9926860
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.9379420
    i (Inclination)                 : 82.79130
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 51.79160
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 303.68860
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 41.13120
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -55.63796
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458711.55710
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 17542.30

    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
2026-05-07 00:00 UT   01 52 01.4   +71 21 11    16.972   16.422   55.5    2.9   342   20.4 
2026-05-08 00:00 UT   01 52 36.7   +71 23 13    16.980   16.427   55.3    2.9   341   20.4 
2026-05-08 18:30 UT   01 53 03.9   +71 24 49    16.985   16.431   55.2    2.9   340   20.4 
2026-05-09 00:00 UT   01 53 11.9   +71 25 18    16.987   16.432   55.2    2.9   340   20.4 
2026-05-10 00:00 UT   01 53 47.0   +71 27 24    16.994   16.437   55.0    2.9   339   20.4 
2026-05-11 00:00 UT   01 54 21.9   +71 29 33    17.001   16.442   54.9    2.9   338   20.4 
2026-05-12 00:00 UT   01 54 56.8   +71 31 44    17.008   16.447   54.8    2.9   337   20.4 
2026-05-13 00:00 UT   01 55 31.5   +71 33 58    17.015   16.452   54.7    2.9   336   20.4 
2026-05-14 00:00 UT   01 56 06.1   +71 36 13    17.021   16.457   54.6    2.9   335   20.4 
2026-05-15 00:00 UT   01 56 40.5   +71 38 31    17.028   16.462   54.5    2.9   334   20.4 
2026-05-16 00:00 UT   01 57 14.8   +71 40 50    17.034   16.467   54.4    2.9   333   20.4 
2026-05-17 00:00 UT   01 57 48.9   +71 43 12    17.040   16.472   54.3    2.9   332   20.4 
2026-05-18 00:00 UT   01 58 22.8   +71 45 36    17.046   16.477   54.3    2.9   331   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.