C/2021 A6 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	3 Mar 2021	20.2	7.936 AU	6.969 AU	10h28m	-04°48'	166.4°	1.7°	34°
Perihelion	3 May 2021	20.4	7.927 AU	7.496 AU	10h15m	+01°41'	111.8°	6.8°	108°
Today	23 Mar 2026	23.7	13.015 AU	12.636 AU	15h39m	+53°33'	110.2°	4.1°	238°

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)                : 0.9996320
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 7.9270830
    i (Inclination)                 : 75.55380
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 164.00270
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 351.65950
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 161.90810
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -8.07500
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459337.98180

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 21
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-03-22 00:00 UT   15 39 58.8   +53 28 21    12.633   13.009  110.1    4.1   240   23.7 
2026-03-23 00:00 UT   15 39 50.8   +53 32 32    12.635   13.014  110.2    4.1   238   23.7 
2026-03-23 06:54 UT   15 39 48.4   +53 33 44    12.636   13.015  110.2    4.1   238   23.7 
2026-03-24 00:00 UT   15 39 42.3   +53 36 41    12.638   13.018  110.3    4.1   237   23.7 
2026-03-25 00:00 UT   15 39 33.4   +53 40 47    12.641   13.022  110.4    4.1   236   23.7 
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   15 39 24.1   +53 44 51    12.643   13.026  110.5    4.1   235   23.7 
2026-03-27 00:00 UT   15 39 14.2   +53 48 51    12.646   13.030  110.6    4.1   234   23.7 
2026-03-28 00:00 UT   15 39 04.0   +53 52 49    12.649   13.035  110.6    4.1   233   23.7 
2026-03-29 00:00 UT   15 38 53.3   +53 56 44    12.652   13.039  110.7    4.1   232   23.7 
2026-03-30 00:00 UT   15 38 42.2   +54 00 36    12.656   13.043  110.7    4.1   231   23.7 
2026-03-31 00:00 UT   15 38 30.7   +54 04 25    12.659   13.047  110.8    4.1   230   23.7 
2026-04-01 00:00 UT   15 38 18.8   +54 08 11    12.663   13.051  110.8    4.1   228   23.7 
2026-04-02 00:00 UT   15 38 06.4   +54 11 53    12.666   13.056  110.8    4.1   227   23.7 

    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.