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 | 19 Apr 2025 | 25.1 | 26.211 AU | 26.541 AU | 21h29m | -14°52' | 69.8° | 2.1° | 252° |
C/2012 K1 (PANSTARRS)- 2025-04-19
astro.vanbuitenen.nl
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.)
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)
The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC.
The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (5.60 + 5 log[∆] + 8.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 5.15 + 5 log[∆] + 9.07 log[r]).
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.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.
The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.
A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.
Ephemerides:
Date Time RA (2000) DEC (2000) delta radius elong phase PA magn
2025-04-19 00:00 UT 21 29 20.8 -14 52 58 26.551 26.207 68.9 2.0 252 25.1
2025-04-19 21:32 UT 21 29 23.2 -14 52 43 26.541 26.211 69.8 2.1 252 25.1
2025-04-20 00:00 UT 21 29 23.4 -14 52 41 26.539 26.212 69.9 2.1 252 25.1
2025-04-21 00:00 UT 21 29 25.9 -14 52 24 26.528 26.216 70.9 2.1 252 25.1
2025-04-22 00:00 UT 21 29 28.3 -14 52 08 26.516 26.221 71.8 2.1 252 25.1
2025-04-23 00:00 UT 21 29 30.5 -14 51 53 26.505 26.226 72.8 2.1 252 25.1
2025-04-24 00:00 UT 21 29 32.6 -14 51 38 26.493 26.230 73.8 2.1 252 25.1
2025-04-25 00:00 UT 21 29 34.5 -14 51 24 26.481 26.235 74.7 2.1 252 25.1
2025-04-26 00:00 UT 21 29 36.3 -14 51 11 26.470 26.240 75.7 2.1 252 25.1
2025-04-27 00:00 UT 21 29 38.0 -14 50 58 26.458 26.244 76.7 2.1 252 25.1
2025-04-28 00:00 UT 21 29 39.5 -14 50 46 26.446 26.249 77.6 2.1 252 25.1
2025-04-29 00:00 UT 21 29 40.8 -14 50 35 26.434 26.254 78.6 2.2 252 25.1
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.