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C/2023 X7 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Nearest approach18 Jan 202518.94.906 AU3.999 AU 07h11m-01°44'154.5°4.9°29°
Perihelion15 May 202519.54.820 AU5.354 AU 07h13m+17°37'53.4°9.7°101°
Today17 Dec 202519.35.106 AU4.479 AU 09h50m+37°50'124.8°9.1°274°
C/2023 X7 (PANSTARRS)- 2025-12-17
astro.vanbuitenen.nl


 
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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. (9.0 + 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/2023 X7 (PANSTARRS) are: 

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0002880
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.8204300
    i (Inclination)                 : 69.12370
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 119.20370
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 354.39940
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 117.20235
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -5.23187
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460810.64980

    Epoch                           : 2025 Dec 16
    Reference                       : MPEC 2024-DA2

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-12-16 00:00 UT   09 50 37.9   +37 37 11     4.489    5.103  123.9    9.2   275   19.3 
2025-12-17 00:00 UT   09 50 34.5   +37 49 33     4.480    5.106  124.8    9.1   274   19.3 
2025-12-17 01:30 UT   09 50 34.2   +37 50 19     4.479    5.106  124.8    9.1   274   19.3 
2025-12-18 00:00 UT   09 50 30.1   +38 01 58     4.471    5.108  125.7    9.0   273   19.3 
2025-12-19 00:00 UT   09 50 24.7   +38 14 27     4.463    5.111  126.6    8.9   273   19.3 
2025-12-20 00:00 UT   09 50 18.2   +38 26 59     4.454    5.113  127.5    8.8   272   19.3 
2025-12-21 00:00 UT   09 50 10.7   +38 39 35     4.446    5.116  128.4    8.7   271   19.3 
2025-12-22 00:00 UT   09 50 02.3   +38 52 13     4.438    5.119  129.3    8.6   270   19.3 
2025-12-23 00:00 UT   09 49 52.8   +39 04 54     4.431    5.121  130.2    8.4   269   19.3 
2025-12-24 00:00 UT   09 49 42.2   +39 17 37     4.423    5.124  131.1    8.3   268   19.3 
2025-12-25 00:00 UT   09 49 30.7   +39 30 22     4.416    5.126  132.0    8.2   267   19.3 
2025-12-26 00:00 UT   09 49 18.1   +39 43 09     4.409    5.129  132.8    8.1   266   19.3 
2025-12-27 00:00 UT   09 49 04.5   +39 55 57     4.403    5.132  133.7    8.0   265   19.3 




    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.

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