C/2021 R2 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	20 Sep 2021	20.2	7.341 AU	6.393 AU	23h17m	+18°06'	159.3°	2.8°	155°
Perihelion	28 Dec 2021	20.5	7.314 AU	7.600 AU	22h29m	+13°54'	69.5°	7.2°	58°
Today	16 Jul 2026	23.8	12.359 AU	11.783 AU	17h05m	+21°20'	122.5°	4.0°	135°

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. (7.5 + 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 R2 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9996000
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 7.3137560
    i (Inclination)                 : 134.47430
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 16.37420
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 32.55590
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 352.27589
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 22.58074
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459577.00740

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jul 16
    Reference                       : MPC194176

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-07-15 00:00 UT   17 06 09.6   +21 25 02    11.759   12.350  123.6    3.9   137   23.8 
2026-07-16 00:00 UT   17 05 46.2   +21 22 49    11.771   12.355  123.0    4.0   136   23.8 
2026-07-16 21:21 UT   17 05 25.6   +21 20 47    11.783   12.359  122.5    4.0   135   23.8 
2026-07-17 00:00 UT   17 05 23.0   +21 20 32    11.784   12.359  122.4    4.0   135   23.8 
2026-07-18 00:00 UT   17 05 00.1   +21 18 13    11.797   12.363  121.8    4.0   134   23.8 
2026-07-19 00:00 UT   17 04 37.5   +21 15 51    11.810   12.368  121.2    4.0   133   23.8 
2026-07-20 00:00 UT   17 04 15.2   +21 13 26    11.823   12.372  120.6    4.1   132   23.8 
2026-07-21 00:00 UT   17 03 53.2   +21 10 58    11.836   12.377  120.0    4.1   131   23.8 
2026-07-22 00:00 UT   17 03 31.5   +21 08 28    11.850   12.381  119.4    4.1   130   23.8 
2026-07-23 00:00 UT   17 03 10.0   +21 05 55    11.864   12.386  118.8    4.1   129   23.8 
2026-07-24 00:00 UT   17 02 48.9   +21 03 19    11.878   12.390  118.2    4.1   128   23.8 
2026-07-25 00:00 UT   17 02 28.1   +21 00 41    11.892   12.394  117.5    4.2   128   23.8 
2026-07-26 00:00 UT   17 02 07.6   +20 58 01    11.906   12.399  116.9    4.2   127   23.8 

    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.