C/2012 K1 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	27 Aug 2014	6.8	1.045 AU	1.949 AU	09h07m	+08°49'	18.8°	18.2°	265°
Nearest approach	30 Oct 2014	6.6	1.478 AU	0.951 AU	06h12m	-48°46'	99.0°	41.6°	303°
Today	17 Oct 2025	25.3	27.045 AU	26.655 AU	21h12m	-15°58'	112.0°	2.0°	73°

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 5.2 + 5 log[∆] + 9.1 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/2012 K1 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0001510
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.0447730
    i (Inclination)                 : 142.21400
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 317.80660
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 202.98500
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 299.27440
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -13.84280
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2456897.05530

    Epoch                           : 2020 Sep 26
    Reference                       : MPC103843

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-10-16 00:00 UT   21 12 09.3   -15 58 36    26.632   27.040  113.1    1.9    73   25.3 
2025-10-17 00:00 UT   21 12 05.7   -15 58 48    26.653   27.044  112.1    2.0    73   25.3 
2025-10-17 02:11 UT   21 12 05.4   -15 58 49    26.655   27.045  112.0    2.0    73   25.3 
2025-10-18 00:00 UT   21 12 02.2   -15 58 60    26.674   27.049  111.1    2.0    73   25.3 
2025-10-19 00:00 UT   21 11 58.8   -15 59 11    26.695   27.054  110.1    2.0    73   25.3 
2025-10-20 00:00 UT   21 11 55.6   -15 59 21    26.716   27.058  109.1    2.0    73   25.3 
2025-10-21 00:00 UT   21 11 52.6   -15 59 30    26.737   27.063  108.1    2.0    73   25.3 
2025-10-22 00:00 UT   21 11 49.7   -15 59 39    26.758   27.067  107.1    2.0    73   25.3 
2025-10-23 00:00 UT   21 11 47.0   -15 59 47    26.779   27.072  106.1    2.0    73   25.3 
2025-10-24 00:00 UT   21 11 44.4   -15 59 55    26.800   27.076  105.1    2.0    73   25.3 
2025-10-25 00:00 UT   21 11 41.9   -16 00 02    26.822   27.081  104.0    2.0    73   25.3 
2025-10-26 00:00 UT   21 11 39.6   -16 00 08    26.843   27.086  103.0    2.0    73   25.3 
2025-10-27 00:00 UT   21 11 37.5   -16 00 13    26.865   27.090  102.0    2.1    73   25.3 

    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.