C/2024 L3 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	25 Jun 2023	21.9	6.929 AU	6.227 AU	18h09m	+26°10'	130.4°	6.4°	178°
Perihelion	23 Nov 2023	22.2	6.858 AU	7.453 AU	17h27m	+24°03'	49.8°	6.3°	29°
Today	8 Dec 2025	23.4	8.381 AU	8.397 AU	14h11m	+54°59'	85.7°	6.7°	322°

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. (9.5 + 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/2024 L3 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0039460
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 6.8577360
    i (Inclination)                 : 111.59230
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 295.00360
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 59.05310
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 263.46442
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 52.88822
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460272.23300

    Epoch                           : 2025 Dec 07
    Reference                       : MPC181184

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-12-07 00:00 UT   14 10 43.5   +54 53 17     8.404    8.375   84.9    6.7   323   23.4 
2025-12-08 00:00 UT   14 10 57.4   +54 57 54     8.399    8.379   85.5    6.7   322   23.4 
2025-12-08 10:14 UT   14 11 03.3   +54 59 54     8.397    8.381   85.7    6.7   322   23.4 
2025-12-09 00:00 UT   14 11 11.0   +55 02 37     8.393    8.383   86.0    6.7   321   23.4 
2025-12-10 00:00 UT   14 11 24.0   +55 07 26     8.388    8.386   86.5    6.7   320   23.4 
2025-12-11 00:00 UT   14 11 36.6   +55 12 21     8.382    8.390   87.1    6.7   319   23.4 
2025-12-12 00:00 UT   14 11 48.7   +55 17 23     8.377    8.393   87.6    6.7   319   23.4 
2025-12-13 00:00 UT   14 12 00.2   +55 22 30     8.371    8.397   88.1    6.7   318   23.4 
2025-12-14 00:00 UT   14 12 11.3   +55 27 43     8.366    8.401   88.6    6.7   317   23.4 
2025-12-15 00:00 UT   14 12 21.8   +55 33 02     8.360    8.404   89.2    6.7   316   23.4 
2025-12-16 00:00 UT   14 12 31.7   +55 38 27     8.355    8.408   89.7    6.7   315   23.4 
2025-12-17 00:00 UT   14 12 41.1   +55 43 58     8.349    8.411   90.2    6.7   314   23.4 
2025-12-18 00:00 UT   14 12 49.9   +55 49 34     8.344    8.415   90.8    6.7   313   23.4 

    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.