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	1 Jun 2026	33.1	11.836 AU	11.743 AU	13h22m	+54°36'	92.8°	4.9°	136°

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
2026-05-31 00:00 UT   13 22 46.4   +54 40 48    11.716   11.825   93.7    4.9   137   33.1 
2026-06-01 00:00 UT   13 22 28.5   +54 38 19    11.733   11.832   93.1    4.9   136   33.1 
2026-06-01 16:08 UT   13 22 16.7   +54 36 36    11.743   11.836   92.8    4.9   136   33.1 
2026-06-02 00:00 UT   13 22 11.1   +54 35 46    11.749   11.838   92.6    4.9   136   33.1 
2026-06-03 00:00 UT   13 21 54.1   +54 33 10    11.765   11.845   92.1    4.9   135   33.1 
2026-06-04 00:00 UT   13 21 37.7   +54 30 32    11.781   11.852   91.5    4.9   134   33.1 
2026-06-05 00:00 UT   13 21 21.8   +54 27 49    11.798   11.859   91.0    4.9   133   33.1 
2026-06-06 00:00 UT   13 21 06.4   +54 25 04    11.814   11.866   90.5    4.9   132   33.1 
2026-06-07 00:00 UT   13 20 51.4   +54 22 16    11.830   11.873   89.9    4.9   131   33.1 
2026-06-08 00:00 UT   13 20 37.0   +54 19 25    11.846   11.879   89.4    4.9   130   33.1 
2026-06-09 00:00 UT   13 20 23.1   +54 16 31    11.863   11.886   88.8    4.9   130   33.1 
2026-06-10 00:00 UT   13 20 09.6   +54 13 34    11.879   11.893   88.3    4.9   129   33.1 
2026-06-11 00:00 UT   13 19 56.7   +54 10 34    11.895   11.900   87.8    4.9   128   33.1 

    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.