C/2024 O1 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	28 Jan 2023	21.1	6.605 AU	7.568 AU	20h12m	-27°42'	11.1°	1.7°	215°
Nearest approach	24 Jul 2023	20.5	6.711 AU	5.701 AU	20h30m	-14°29'	173.5°	1.0°	214°
Today	13 Feb 2026	23.5	9.734 AU	10.391 AU	21h38m	+32°35'	46.1°	4.2°	358°

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. (8.5 + 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 O1 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0000860
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 6.6047830
    i (Inclination)                 : 59.08220
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 303.34640
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 349.84810
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 298.08979
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -8.69723
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459972.53330

    Epoch                           : 2026 Feb 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2024-PC5

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-02-12 00:00 UT   21 37 58.8   +32 31 54    10.383    9.729   46.4    4.2   359   23.5 
2026-02-13 00:00 UT   21 38 28.3   +32 35 19    10.391    9.733   46.2    4.2   358   23.5 
2026-02-13 02:44 UT   21 38 31.7   +32 35 43    10.391    9.734   46.1    4.2   358   23.5 
2026-02-14 00:00 UT   21 38 57.8   +32 38 48    10.398    9.738   45.9    4.2   357   23.5 
2026-02-15 00:00 UT   21 39 27.2   +32 42 20    10.406    9.742   45.7    4.2   355   23.5 
2026-02-16 00:00 UT   21 39 56.6   +32 45 55    10.413    9.746   45.5    4.1   354   23.5 
2026-02-17 00:00 UT   21 40 26.0   +32 49 35    10.421    9.751   45.3    4.1   353   23.5 
2026-02-18 00:00 UT   21 40 55.3   +32 53 17    10.428    9.755   45.1    4.1   352   23.5 
2026-02-19 00:00 UT   21 41 24.6   +32 57 04    10.435    9.760   44.9    4.1   351   23.5 
2026-02-20 00:00 UT   21 41 53.8   +33 00 53    10.442    9.764   44.7    4.1   349   23.5 
2026-02-21 00:00 UT   21 42 23.0   +33 04 46    10.448    9.769   44.6    4.1   348   23.5 
2026-02-22 00:00 UT   21 42 52.1   +33 08 43    10.455    9.773   44.4    4.1   347   23.5 
2026-02-23 00:00 UT   21 43 21.1   +33 12 43    10.461    9.777   44.3    4.1   346   23.5 

    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.