C/2024 O1 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	27 Jan 2023	21.1	6.602 AU	7.566 AU	20h12m	-27°45'	10.9°	1.6°	213°
Nearest approach	24 Jul 2023	20.5	6.709 AU	5.698 AU	20h30m	-14°29'	173.5°	1.0°	214°
Today	18 Oct 2026	23.9	10.854 AU	10.363 AU	21h28m	+45°58'	117.1°	4.7°	105°

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)                : 0.9996200
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 6.6019130
    i (Inclination)                 : 59.08210
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 303.34610
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 349.80480
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 298.06671
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -8.73421
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459972.03530

    Epoch                           : 2026 Oct 17
    Reference                       : MPC194190

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-10-17 00:00 UT   21 29 06.9   +46 02 22    10.350   10.848  117.6    4.7   107   23.9 
2026-10-18 00:00 UT   21 28 57.9   +45 59 14    10.360   10.853  117.3    4.7   106   23.9 
2026-10-18 07:56 UT   21 28 55.0   +45 58 11    10.363   10.854  117.1    4.7   105   23.9 
2026-10-19 00:00 UT   21 28 49.4   +45 56 05    10.370   10.857  116.9    4.7   104   23.9 
2026-10-20 00:00 UT   21 28 41.4   +45 52 55    10.381   10.862  116.5    4.7   103   23.9 
2026-10-21 00:00 UT   21 28 33.9   +45 49 44    10.391   10.866  116.1    4.7   102   23.9 
2026-10-22 00:00 UT   21 28 27.0   +45 46 33    10.402   10.871  115.7    4.7   101   23.9 
2026-10-23 00:00 UT   21 28 20.6   +45 43 21    10.413   10.876  115.3    4.7   100   24.0 
2026-10-24 00:00 UT   21 28 14.7   +45 40 08    10.424   10.880  114.9    4.8    99   24.0 
2026-10-25 00:00 UT   21 28 09.3   +45 36 55    10.435   10.885  114.5    4.8    98   24.0 
2026-10-26 00:00 UT   21 28 04.5   +45 33 41    10.446   10.890  114.0    4.8    97   24.0 
2026-10-27 00:00 UT   21 28 00.2   +45 30 28    10.458   10.894  113.6    4.8    96   24.0 
2026-10-28 00:00 UT   21 27 56.4   +45 27 14    10.469   10.899  113.2    4.8    95   24.0 

    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.