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P/2022 C3 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Nearest approach8 May 202220.64.380 AU3.404 AU 15h09m-00°28'163.2°3.8°187°
Perihelion30 Jun 202220.84.368 AU3.747 AU 14h54m-00°58'121.7°11.4°117°
Today18 Jul 202625.48.674 AU8.069 AU 23h39m-09°06'123.7°5.6°251°
P/2022 C3 (PANSTARRS)- 2026-07-18
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. (11.5 + 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 P/2022 C3 (PANSTARRS) are: 

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.5457670
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.3684410
    i (Inclination)                 : 12.82300
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 139.03660
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 93.79090
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 52.92417
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 12.79447
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459760.98790
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 29.82

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jul 17
    Reference                       : MPC194179

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); Halley type (P < 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-07-17 00:00 UT   23 40 08.6   -09 03 40     8.086    8.668  122.0    5.7   250   25.4 
2026-07-18 00:00 UT   23 40 03.3   -09 05 25     8.076    8.671  123.0    5.6   251   25.4 
2026-07-18 16:21 UT   23 39 59.4   -09 06 38     8.069    8.674  123.7    5.6   251   25.4 
2026-07-19 00:00 UT   23 39 57.5   -09 07 12     8.065    8.675  124.0    5.6   251   25.4 
2026-07-20 00:00 UT   23 39 51.3   -09 09 01     8.055    8.678  125.0    5.5   251   25.4 
2026-07-21 00:00 UT   23 39 44.7   -09 10 52     8.046    8.681  125.9    5.4   251   25.4 
2026-07-22 00:00 UT   23 39 37.7   -09 12 46     8.036    8.685  126.9    5.4   251   25.4 
2026-07-23 00:00 UT   23 39 30.3   -09 14 41     8.026    8.688  127.9    5.3   252   25.4 
2026-07-24 00:00 UT   23 39 22.6   -09 16 39     8.017    8.691  128.9    5.2   252   25.4 
2026-07-25 00:00 UT   23 39 14.4   -09 18 39     8.008    8.694  129.9    5.1   252   25.4 
2026-07-26 00:00 UT   23 39 05.9   -09 20 40     7.999    8.698  130.9    5.1   252   25.4 
2026-07-27 00:00 UT   23 38 57.0   -09 22 44     7.990    8.701  131.9    5.0   252   25.4 
2026-07-28 00:00 UT   23 38 47.7   -09 24 50     7.982    8.704  132.9    4.9   253   25.4 




    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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