C/2014 S2 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	9 Dec 2015	9.1	2.073 AU	1.887 AU	16h52m	+63°32'	86.4°	28.3°	357°
Nearest approach	26 Feb 2016	9.4	2.270 AU	1.808 AU	15h18m	+70°56'	104.6°	25.0°	254°
Today	19 Oct 2025	25.2	23.546 AU	24.222 AU	12h47m	-55°21'	46.3°	1.8°	197°

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 4.6 + 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 C/2014 S2 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9877510
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.0730450
    i (Inclination)                 : 64.57130
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 8.21520
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 87.19600
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 91.70788
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 64.42740
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2457366.47310
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 2201.72

    Epoch                           : 2022 Mar 31
    Reference                       : MPC104790

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-10-18 00:00 UT   12 46 37.9   -55 19 22    24.210   23.537   46.6    1.8   195   25.2 
2025-10-19 00:00 UT   12 46 53.4   -55 20 37    24.217   23.542   46.4    1.8   196   25.2 
2025-10-19 20:30 UT   12 47 06.7   -55 21 43    24.222   23.546   46.3    1.8   197   25.2 
2025-10-20 00:00 UT   12 47 08.9   -55 21 54    24.223   23.547   46.3    1.8   198   25.2 
2025-10-21 00:00 UT   12 47 24.4   -55 23 12    24.230   23.551   46.1    1.7   199   25.2 
2025-10-22 00:00 UT   12 47 39.7   -55 24 32    24.237   23.556   45.9    1.7   200   25.2 
2025-10-23 00:00 UT   12 47 55.0   -55 25 54    24.243   23.560   45.8    1.7   201   25.2 
2025-10-24 00:00 UT   12 48 10.3   -55 27 17    24.249   23.565   45.6    1.7   203   25.2 
2025-10-25 00:00 UT   12 48 25.5   -55 28 42    24.255   23.570   45.5    1.7   204   25.2 
2025-10-26 00:00 UT   12 48 40.6   -55 30 08    24.261   23.574   45.4    1.7   205   25.2 
2025-10-27 00:00 UT   12 48 55.6   -55 31 36    24.266   23.579   45.3    1.7   207   25.2 
2025-10-28 00:00 UT   12 49 10.5   -55 33 05    24.271   23.583   45.3    1.7   208   25.2 
2025-10-29 00:00 UT   12 49 25.3   -55 34 35    24.277   23.588   45.2    1.7   209   25.2 

    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.