P/2021 A5 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	7 Sep 2025	20.5	2.727 AU	1.726 AU	22h43m	+00°10'	171.9°	3.0°	138°
Perihelion	19 Mar 2026	21.9	2.622 AU	3.490 AU	00h58m	+19°15'	25.0°	9.3°	40°
Today	25 May 2026	22.0	2.635 AU	3.580 AU	03h02m	+30°45'	18.0°	6.8°	299°

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. The light curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from an MPEC, or the latest values provided by the minor planet center. (15.0 + 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 P/2021 A5 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.1410170
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.6218240
    i (Inclination)                 : 18.18500
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 328.67920
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 62.15190
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 29.60129
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 16.01823
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2461119.33750
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 5.33

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 25
    Reference                       : MPC194172

    Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Active asteroid
    Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 3.145

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-05-24 00:00 UT   02 58 22.7   +30 28 23     3.584    2.635   17.3    6.6   301   22.0 
2026-05-25 00:00 UT   03 00 19.9   +30 37 20     3.582    2.635   17.6    6.7   300   22.0 
2026-05-25 23:07 UT   03 02 13.0   +30 45 53     3.580    2.635   18.0    6.8   299   22.0 
2026-05-26 00:00 UT   03 02 17.3   +30 46 13     3.580    2.635   18.0    6.8   299   22.0 
2026-05-27 00:00 UT   03 04 14.9   +30 55 02     3.578    2.636   18.4    7.0   298   22.0 
2026-05-28 00:00 UT   03 06 12.6   +31 03 47     3.576    2.636   18.7    7.1   297   22.0 
2026-05-29 00:00 UT   03 08 10.5   +31 12 29     3.573    2.637   19.1    7.2   296   22.0 
2026-05-30 00:00 UT   03 10 08.5   +31 21 07     3.571    2.637   19.5    7.4   295   22.0 
2026-05-31 00:00 UT   03 12 06.7   +31 29 41     3.568    2.637   19.9    7.5   294   22.0 
2026-06-01 00:00 UT   03 14 05.1   +31 38 12     3.566    2.638   20.3    7.7   294   22.0 
2026-06-02 00:00 UT   03 16 03.6   +31 46 38     3.563    2.638   20.7    7.8   293   22.0 
2026-06-03 00:00 UT   03 18 02.3   +31 55 01     3.560    2.639   21.1    7.9   292   22.0 
2026-06-04 00:00 UT   03 20 01.1   +32 03 19     3.557    2.639   21.5    8.1   291   22.0 

    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.