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	4 Nov 2025	32.3	10.369 AU	10.794 AU	13h40m	+45°10'	62.2°	4.9°	344°

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)                : 1.0003720
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.8391740
    i (Inclination)                 : 78.46520
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 157.22650
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 267.99870
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 237.31417
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -78.29519
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459966.05700

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 03
    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
2025-11-03 00:00 UT   13 39 44.4   +45 09 25    10.794   10.355   61.3    4.8   346   32.3 
2025-11-04 00:00 UT   13 40 15.6   +45 10 03    10.794   10.362   61.8    4.8   345   32.3 
2025-11-04 22:25 UT   13 40 44.8   +45 10 41    10.794   10.369   62.2    4.9   344   32.3 
2025-11-05 00:00 UT   13 40 46.8   +45 10 44    10.794   10.369   62.2    4.9   344   32.3 
2025-11-06 00:00 UT   13 41 17.8   +45 11 30    10.793   10.377   62.7    4.9   343   32.3 
2025-11-07 00:00 UT   13 41 48.8   +45 12 21    10.792   10.384   63.2    4.9   342   32.3 
2025-11-08 00:00 UT   13 42 19.6   +45 13 16    10.792   10.391   63.7    4.9   341   32.3 
2025-11-09 00:00 UT   13 42 50.2   +45 14 15    10.791   10.398   64.2    4.9   340   32.3 
2025-11-10 00:00 UT   13 43 20.7   +45 15 18    10.790   10.406   64.7    4.9   340   32.3 
2025-11-11 00:00 UT   13 43 51.1   +45 16 26    10.789   10.413   65.2    5.0   339   32.3 
2025-11-12 00:00 UT   13 44 21.3   +45 17 38    10.788   10.420   65.7    5.0   338   32.3 
2025-11-13 00:00 UT   13 44 51.4   +45 18 55    10.786   10.427   66.2    5.0   337   32.3 
2025-11-14 00:00 UT   13 45 21.3   +45 20 16    10.785   10.435   66.8    5.0   336   32.3 

    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.