C/2021 A6 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	3 Mar 2021	20.2	7.935 AU	6.968 AU	10h28m	-04°49'	166.3°	1.7°	34°
Perihelion	3 May 2021	20.4	7.926 AU	7.494 AU	10h15m	+01°40'	112.0°	6.8°	108°
Today	12 Jan 2026	23.6	12.722 AU	12.705 AU	15h30m	+48°19'	88.8°	4.4°	305°

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. (7.0 + 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 C/2021 A6 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9995490
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 7.9263130
    i (Inclination)                 : 75.55600
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 164.00840
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 351.64910
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 161.91147
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -8.08515
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459337.85880

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jan 11
    Reference                       : MPEC 2024-P23

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-01-11 00:00 UT   15 29 39.4   +48 12 46    12.711   12.715   88.0    4.4   307   23.6 
2026-01-12 00:00 UT   15 30 02.9   +48 16 33    12.707   12.719   88.5    4.4   306   23.6 
2026-01-12 17:08 UT   15 30 19.4   +48 19 17    12.705   12.722   88.8    4.4   305   23.6 
2026-01-13 00:00 UT   15 30 26.0   +48 20 23    12.704   12.724   88.9    4.4   305   23.6 
2026-01-14 00:00 UT   15 30 48.8   +48 24 15    12.701   12.728   89.3    4.4   304   23.6 
2026-01-15 00:00 UT   15 31 11.3   +48 28 10    12.698   12.732   89.8    4.4   303   23.6 
2026-01-16 00:00 UT   15 31 33.4   +48 32 08    12.694   12.736   90.2    4.4   303   23.6 
2026-01-17 00:00 UT   15 31 55.2   +48 36 08    12.691   12.740   90.6    4.4   302   23.6 
2026-01-18 00:00 UT   15 32 16.6   +48 40 11    12.688   12.745   91.1    4.4   301   23.6 
2026-01-19 00:00 UT   15 32 37.6   +48 44 16    12.685   12.749   91.5    4.4   300   23.6 
2026-01-20 00:00 UT   15 32 58.3   +48 48 24    12.682   12.753   91.9    4.4   299   23.6 
2026-01-21 00:00 UT   15 33 18.6   +48 52 33    12.678   12.757   92.4    4.4   298   23.6 
2026-01-22 00:00 UT   15 33 38.5   +48 56 46    12.675   12.761   92.8    4.4   297   23.6 

    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.