C/2022 S3 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	21 Jan 2023	16.7	0.839 AU	1.234 AU	22h08m	-56°47'	42.6°	52.6°	138°
Nearest approach	8 Mar 2023	16.6	1.182 AU	0.598 AU	05h41m	-37°42'	92.6°	57.0°	82°
Today	18 Feb 2026	32.6	11.123 AU	10.631 AU	14h05m	+51°59'	117.6°	4.5°	253°

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. (17.0 + 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 S3 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0003710
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.8392110
    i (Inclination)                 : 78.46410
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 157.22500
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 267.99970
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 237.31844
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -78.29428
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459966.05040

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2022-VC5

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-02-17 00:00 UT   14 06 00.7   +51 51 19    10.626   11.112  117.1    4.5   254   32.6 
2026-02-18 00:00 UT   14 05 49.3   +51 56 32    10.629   11.119  117.4    4.5   253   32.6 
2026-02-18 14:20 UT   14 05 42.2   +51 59 38    10.631   11.123  117.6    4.5   253   32.6 
2026-02-19 00:00 UT   14 05 37.4   +52 01 44    10.632   11.126  117.7    4.5   252   32.6 
2026-02-20 00:00 UT   14 05 24.8   +52 06 53    10.634   11.133  117.9    4.5   251   32.6 
2026-02-21 00:00 UT   14 05 11.7   +52 12 01    10.638   11.140  118.2    4.5   250   32.6 
2026-02-22 00:00 UT   14 04 58.0   +52 17 06    10.641   11.147  118.5    4.5   249   32.6 
2026-02-23 00:00 UT   14 04 43.8   +52 22 09    10.644   11.154  118.7    4.5   247   32.6 
2026-02-24 00:00 UT   14 04 29.0   +52 27 10    10.648   11.161  118.9    4.5   246   32.6 
2026-02-25 00:00 UT   14 04 13.6   +52 32 08    10.651   11.168  119.2    4.4   245   32.6 
2026-02-26 00:00 UT   14 03 57.7   +52 37 04    10.655   11.175  119.4    4.4   244   32.6 
2026-02-27 00:00 UT   14 03 41.2   +52 41 58    10.659   11.182  119.6    4.4   242   32.6 
2026-02-28 00:00 UT   14 03 24.2   +52 46 48    10.664   11.189  119.8    4.4   241   32.6 

    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.