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	30 Apr 2025	25.1	26.261 AU	26.414 AU	21h29m	-14°50'	80.1°	2.2°	252°

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
2025-04-30 00:00 UT   21 29 42.1   -14 50 25    26.422   26.258   79.6    2.2   252   25.1 
2025-04-30 14:51 UT   21 29 42.7   -14 50 18    26.414   26.261   80.1    2.2   252   25.1 
2025-05-01 00:00 UT   21 29 43.1   -14 50 15    26.409   26.263   80.5    2.2   252   25.1 
2025-05-02 00:00 UT   21 29 44.0   -14 50 06    26.397   26.268   81.5    2.2   252   25.1 
2025-05-03 00:00 UT   21 29 44.8   -14 49 57    26.385   26.272   82.5    2.2   252   25.1 
2025-05-04 00:00 UT   21 29 45.4   -14 49 50    26.373   26.277   83.4    2.2   252   25.1 
2025-05-05 00:00 UT   21 29 45.9   -14 49 42    26.360   26.282   84.4    2.2   252   25.1 
2025-05-06 00:00 UT   21 29 46.3   -14 49 36    26.348   26.286   85.4    2.2   252   25.1 
2025-05-07 00:00 UT   21 29 46.4   -14 49 31    26.336   26.291   86.3    2.2   252   25.1 
2025-05-08 00:00 UT   21 29 46.5   -14 49 26    26.323   26.296   87.3    2.2   252   25.1 
2025-05-09 00:00 UT   21 29 46.4   -14 49 22    26.311   26.300   88.3    2.2   252   25.1 
2025-05-10 00:00 UT   21 29 46.1   -14 49 18    26.299   26.305   89.2    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.