C/2025 V2 (Rankin)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	19 Apr 2026	18.1	4.242 AU	3.914 AU	09h00m	+22°33'	102.3°	13.4°	108°
Perihelion	22 Mar 2027	13.1	1.951 AU	1.827 AU	18h40m	+16°07'	81.7°	30.4°	272°
Nearest approach	30 Jun 2027	13.2	2.292 AU	1.416 AU	19h54m	+11°03'	140.4°	16.4°	210°

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. This lightcurve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 8.9 + 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/2025 V2 (Rankin) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0004870
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.9512620
    i (Inclination)                 : 37.29680
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 138.08380
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 102.74810
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 63.95954
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 36.22852
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2461487.49110

    Epoch                           : 2026 Apr 18
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-G41

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-04-18 00:00 UT   09 00 48.1   +22 30 09     3.905    4.253  103.5   13.3   108   18.1 
2026-04-19 00:00 UT   09 00 51.7   +22 33 04     3.912    4.245  102.5   13.4   108   18.1 
2026-04-19 05:59 UT   09 00 52.8   +22 33 47     3.914    4.242  102.3   13.4   108   18.1 
2026-04-20 00:00 UT   09 00 56.4   +22 35 54     3.919    4.236  101.6   13.4   108   18.1 
2026-04-21 00:00 UT   09 01 02.0   +22 38 39     3.926    4.227  100.6   13.5   108   18.1 
2026-04-22 00:00 UT   09 01 08.7   +22 41 19     3.932    4.218   99.6   13.6   107   18.1 
2026-04-23 00:00 UT   09 01 16.4   +22 43 54     3.939    4.210   98.7   13.7   107   18.1 
2026-04-24 00:00 UT   09 01 25.2   +22 46 23     3.946    4.201   97.7   13.7   107   18.1 
2026-04-25 00:00 UT   09 01 34.9   +22 48 48     3.953    4.192   96.8   13.8   107   18.1 
2026-04-26 00:00 UT   09 01 45.6   +22 51 08     3.960    4.184   95.8   13.8   107   18.1 
2026-04-27 00:00 UT   09 01 57.4   +22 53 22     3.967    4.175   94.9   13.9   107   18.1 
2026-04-28 00:00 UT   09 02 10.1   +22 55 32     3.974    4.166   94.0   13.9   107   18.1 
2026-04-29 00:00 UT   09 02 23.8   +22 57 37     3.981    4.158   93.0   14.0   107   18.1 

    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.