C/2022 L4 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	9 Dec 2021	21.7	3.007 AU	3.752 AU	18h50m	+01°22'	35.6°	11.0°	46°
Nearest approach	29 May 2022	21.3	3.440 AU	2.456 AU	17h19m	-11°38'	163.5°	4.8°	231°
Today	4 Dec 2025	30.1	11.775 AU	12.144 AU	11h43m	-35°00'	65.8°	4.4°	281°

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. (14.0 + 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/2022 L4 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9892210
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.0066620
    i (Inclination)                 : 141.24120
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 66.05330
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 125.21610
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 113.90276
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 30.76157
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459557.60050
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 4658.64

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2022-N37

    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
2025-12-03 00:00 UT   11 43 10.3   -34 55 03    12.157   11.764   64.3    4.3   280   30.1 
2025-12-04 00:00 UT   11 43 10.1   -34 58 09    12.150   11.770   65.1    4.4   281   30.1 
2025-12-04 20:21 UT   11 43 09.5   -35 00 46    12.144   11.775   65.8    4.4   281   30.1 
2025-12-05 00:00 UT   11 43 09.4   -35 01 14    12.143   11.776   65.9    4.4   281   30.1 
2025-12-06 00:00 UT   11 43 08.4   -35 04 19    12.136   11.782   66.7    4.4   282   30.1 
2025-12-07 00:00 UT   11 43 07.0   -35 07 22    12.129   11.788   67.6    4.4   283   30.1 
2025-12-08 00:00 UT   11 43 05.2   -35 10 25    12.121   11.794   68.4    4.5   283   30.1 
2025-12-09 00:00 UT   11 43 03.0   -35 13 27    12.114   11.800   69.2    4.5   284   30.1 
2025-12-10 00:00 UT   11 43 00.5   -35 16 29    12.106   11.806   70.0    4.5   284   30.1 
2025-12-11 00:00 UT   11 42 57.5   -35 19 29    12.099   11.812   70.8    4.5   285   30.1 
2025-12-12 00:00 UT   11 42 54.2   -35 22 28    12.091   11.818   71.6    4.5   286   30.1 
2025-12-13 00:00 UT   11 42 50.4   -35 25 26    12.083   11.824   72.5    4.6   286   30.1 
2025-12-14 00:00 UT   11 42 46.3   -35 28 23    12.076   11.830   73.3    4.6   287   30.1 

    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.