C/2021 A6 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	3 Mar 2021	20.2	7.938 AU	6.971 AU	10h28m	-04°47'	166.4°	1.7°	34°
Perihelion	3 May 2021	20.4	7.929 AU	7.503 AU	10h15m	+01°43'	111.6°	6.8°	108°
Today	4 Aug 2026	24.0	13.584 AU	13.758 AU	15h09m	+53°08'	78.1°	4.2°	103°

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)                : 0.9998190
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 7.9292740
    i (Inclination)                 : 75.55070
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 163.99370
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 351.68540
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 161.90525
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -8.04983
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459338.27680

    Epoch                           : 2026 Aug 03
    Reference                       : MPC194172

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-08-03 00:00 UT   15 09 16.7   +53 14 21    13.741   13.577   78.6    4.2   104   24.0 
2026-08-04 00:00 UT   15 09 21.1   +53 10 50    13.751   13.581   78.3    4.2   103   24.0 
2026-08-04 15:35 UT   15 09 24.2   +53 08 32    13.758   13.584   78.1    4.2   103   24.0 
2026-08-05 00:00 UT   15 09 26.0   +53 07 17    13.761   13.586   77.9    4.2   103   24.0 
2026-08-06 00:00 UT   15 09 31.3   +53 03 45    13.771   13.590   77.6    4.2   102   24.0 
2026-08-07 00:00 UT   15 09 37.0   +53 00 11    13.781   13.594   77.3    4.2   101   24.0 
2026-08-08 00:00 UT   15 09 43.2   +52 56 38    13.791   13.598   77.0    4.2   100   24.0 
2026-08-09 00:00 UT   15 09 49.8   +52 53 03    13.801   13.603   76.6    4.2    99   24.0 
2026-08-10 00:00 UT   15 09 56.8   +52 49 29    13.810   13.607   76.3    4.2    98   24.0 
2026-08-11 00:00 UT   15 10 04.3   +52 45 53    13.820   13.611   76.0    4.1    97   24.0 
2026-08-12 00:00 UT   15 10 12.2   +52 42 18    13.830   13.615   75.7    4.1    96   24.0 
2026-08-13 00:00 UT   15 10 20.5   +52 38 43    13.839   13.620   75.4    4.1    95   24.0 
2026-08-14 00:00 UT   15 10 29.2   +52 35 07    13.849   13.624   75.1    4.1    95   24.1 

    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.