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P/2024 X3 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Perihelion5 Sep 202421.32.615 AU3.274 AU08h13m+19°35'42.1°15.0°282°
Nearest approach8 Feb 202520.72.915 AU1.951 AU10h27m+12°25'165.0°5.0°282°
Today18 Oct 202524.34.104 AU5.080 AU13h00m-03°53'10.3°2.5°306°
P/2024 X3 (PANSTARRS)- 2025-10-18
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. (14.6 + 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 P/2024 X3 (PANSTARRS) are: 

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.6262060
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.6145210
    i (Inclination)                 : 2.97230
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 113.36340
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 352.95990
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 106.33268
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -0.36414
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460559.31110
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 18.50

    Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 17
    Reference                       : MPC185660

    Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
    Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.549

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-10-17 00:00 UT   12 58 24.8   -03 41 05     5.075    4.094    9.0    2.2   308   24.2 
2025-10-18 00:00 UT   12 59 28.8   -03 47 34     5.078    4.099    9.6    2.3   307   24.3 
2025-10-18 22:06 UT   13 00 27.7   -03 53 31     5.080    4.104   10.3    2.5   306   24.3 
2025-10-19 00:00 UT   13 00 32.7   -03 54 02     5.080    4.104   10.3    2.5   306   24.3 
2025-10-20 00:00 UT   13 01 36.5   -04 00 27     5.082    4.109   11.0    2.7   305   24.3 
2025-10-21 00:00 UT   13 02 40.0   -04 06 51     5.084    4.114   11.7    2.8   304   24.3 
2025-10-22 00:00 UT   13 03 43.4   -04 13 12     5.086    4.120   12.4    3.0   303   24.3 
2025-10-23 00:00 UT   13 04 46.7   -04 19 32     5.088    4.125   13.1    3.1   303   24.3 
2025-10-24 00:00 UT   13 05 49.7   -04 25 49     5.089    4.130   13.8    3.3   302   24.3 
2025-10-25 00:00 UT   13 06 52.6   -04 32 05     5.090    4.135   14.5    3.5   302   24.3 
2025-10-26 00:00 UT   13 07 55.3   -04 38 18     5.091    4.141   15.2    3.6   301   24.3 
2025-10-27 00:00 UT   13 08 57.9   -04 44 30     5.092    4.146   15.9    3.8   301   24.3 
2025-10-28 00:00 UT   13 10 00.2   -04 50 39     5.093    4.151   16.7    3.9   300   24.3 




    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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