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C/2024 U1 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Nearest approach6 Jan 202420.15.027 AU4.073 AU 06h37m+36°55'164.2°3.0°154°
Perihelion30 Jun 202420.74.838 AU5.825 AU 05h49m+18°10'12.6°2.6°245°
Today17 May 202622.97.053 AU7.640 AU 02h49m-30°45'51.4°6.4°194°
C/2024 U1 (PANSTARRS)- 2026-05-17
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. (10.0 + 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/2024 U1 (PANSTARRS) are: 

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9901570
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.8379750
    i (Inclination)                 : 128.75660
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 270.26920
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 188.12600
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 265.16141
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -6.32839
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460492.19440
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 10896.93

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 17
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-05-16 00:00 UT   02 49 10.0   -30 42 07     7.642    7.045   50.6    6.4   192   22.9 
2026-05-17 00:00 UT   02 49 32.1   -30 44 11     7.641    7.050   51.0    6.4   193   22.9 
2026-05-17 17:26 UT   02 49 48.1   -30 45 45     7.640    7.053   51.4    6.4   194   22.9 
2026-05-18 00:00 UT   02 49 54.1   -30 46 21     7.640    7.055   51.5    6.4   194   22.9 
2026-05-19 00:00 UT   02 50 16.0   -30 48 37     7.638    7.060   51.9    6.5   195   22.9 
2026-05-20 00:00 UT   02 50 37.8   -30 50 59     7.636    7.065   52.4    6.5   196   22.9 
2026-05-21 00:00 UT   02 50 59.5   -30 53 26     7.635    7.070   52.9    6.6   197   22.9 
2026-05-22 00:00 UT   02 51 21.0   -30 55 59     7.633    7.075   53.3    6.6   198   22.9 
2026-05-23 00:00 UT   02 51 42.5   -30 58 38     7.630    7.080   53.8    6.6   199   22.9 
2026-05-24 00:00 UT   02 52 03.8   -31 01 23     7.628    7.085   54.3    6.7   200   22.9 
2026-05-25 00:00 UT   02 52 25.0   -31 04 14     7.625    7.091   54.8    6.7   201   22.9 
2026-05-26 00:00 UT   02 52 46.0   -31 07 10     7.623    7.096   55.3    6.7   202   22.9 
2026-05-27 00:00 UT   02 53 06.9   -31 10 13     7.620    7.101   55.8    6.8   203   22.9 




    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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