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C/2021 N3 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Nearest approach4 Jul 202019.55.716 AU4.796 AU 18h56m-50°34'152.3°4.8°359°
Perihelion16 Aug 202019.65.708 AU5.020 AU 18h39m-48°09'128.7°8.0°64°
Today6 Feb 202625.613.702 AU14.163 AU 00h29m+23°00'60.4°3.6°55°
C/2021 N3 (PANSTARRS)- 2026-02-06
astro.vanbuitenen.nl


 
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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. (8.5 + 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 N3 (PANSTARRS) are: 

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9587690
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 5.7078290
    i (Inclination)                 : 26.77060
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 337.54100
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 304.52760
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 285.15827
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -21.78221
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459077.79840
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 1628.81

    Epoch                           : 2026 Feb 05
    Reference                       : MPEC 2022-YB4

    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
2026-02-05 00:00 UT   00 29 19.2   +22 59 37    14.131   13.694   61.9    3.6    55   25.6 
2026-02-06 00:00 UT   00 29 32.9   +23 00 12    14.150   13.699   61.0    3.6    55   25.6 
2026-02-06 16:04 UT   00 29 42.3   +23 00 37    14.163   13.702   60.4    3.6    55   25.6 
2026-02-07 00:00 UT   00 29 46.9   +23 00 50    14.169   13.704   60.1    3.6    55   25.6 
2026-02-08 00:00 UT   00 30 01.0   +23 01 29    14.188   13.709   59.2    3.5    54   25.6 
2026-02-09 00:00 UT   00 30 15.4   +23 02 11    14.206   13.714   58.3    3.5    54   25.6 
2026-02-10 00:00 UT   00 30 29.9   +23 02 55    14.225   13.719   57.4    3.5    53   25.6 
2026-02-11 00:00 UT   00 30 44.6   +23 03 41    14.243   13.723   56.5    3.4    53   25.6 
2026-02-12 00:00 UT   00 30 59.5   +23 04 28    14.261   13.728   55.6    3.4    53   25.6 
2026-02-13 00:00 UT   00 31 14.5   +23 05 18    14.279   13.733   54.7    3.4    52   25.7 
2026-02-14 00:00 UT   00 31 29.8   +23 06 10    14.297   13.738   53.9    3.3    52   25.7 
2026-02-15 00:00 UT   00 31 45.1   +23 07 03    14.314   13.743   53.0    3.3    51   25.7 
2026-02-16 00:00 UT   00 32 00.7   +23 07 59    14.332   13.748   52.1    3.3    51   25.7 




    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.

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