C/2022 S3 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	21 Jan 2023	16.7	0.840 AU	1.234 AU	22h07m	-56°54'	42.7°	52.6°	138°
Nearest approach	8 Mar 2023	16.6	1.183 AU	0.598 AU	05h42m	-37°46'	92.7°	56.9°	81°
Today	17 Jul 2026	33.3	12.146 AU	12.467 AU	13h17m	+52°01'	69.3°	4.5°	98°

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)                : 1.0003480
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.8401870
    i (Inclination)                 : 78.44200
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 157.19280
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 268.02320
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 237.41857
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -78.27644
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459965.86740

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194182

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-07-16 00:00 UT   13 17 44.9   +52 06 44    12.448   12.137   69.9    4.5    99   33.3 
2026-07-17 00:00 UT   13 17 49.8   +52 02 55    12.463   12.144   69.4    4.5    99   33.3 
2026-07-17 06:24 UT   13 17 51.2   +52 01 53    12.467   12.146   69.3    4.5    98   33.3 
2026-07-18 00:00 UT   13 17 55.2   +51 59 05    12.478   12.151   69.0    4.5    98   33.3 
2026-07-19 00:00 UT   13 18 01.1   +51 55 15    12.492   12.157   68.5    4.5    97   33.3 
2026-07-20 00:00 UT   13 18 07.4   +51 51 26    12.507   12.164   68.0    4.4    96   33.3 
2026-07-21 00:00 UT   13 18 14.2   +51 47 36    12.521   12.171   67.6    4.4    95   33.3 
2026-07-22 00:00 UT   13 18 21.4   +51 43 47    12.535   12.177   67.2    4.4    94   33.3 
2026-07-23 00:00 UT   13 18 29.0   +51 39 58    12.550   12.184   66.7    4.4    94   33.4 
2026-07-24 00:00 UT   13 18 37.0   +51 36 09    12.564   12.191   66.3    4.4    93   33.4 
2026-07-25 00:00 UT   13 18 45.4   +51 32 20    12.578   12.198   65.8    4.4    92   33.4 
2026-07-26 00:00 UT   13 18 54.3   +51 28 32    12.592   12.204   65.4    4.3    91   33.4 
2026-07-27 00:00 UT   13 19 03.6   +51 24 44    12.605   12.211   65.0    4.3    90   33.4 

    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.