C/2015 V4 (PANSTARRS) |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Perihelion | 27 Aug 2016 | 19.8 | 5.456 AU | 6.214 AU | 09h09m | -23°28' | 38.2° | 6.6° | 212° |
Nearest approach | 1 Mar 2017 | 19.3 | 5.574 AU | 4.740 AU | 09h54m | -25°41' | 144.3° | 6.0° | 23° |
Today | 10 Jul 2025 | 26.6 | 16.197 AU | 15.857 AU | 16h30m | +38°21' | 107.8° | 3.4° | 140° |
C/2015 V4 (PANSTARRS)- 2025-07-10
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/2015 V4 (PANSTARRS) are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.7043240
q (Perihelion distance) : 5.4561580
i (Inclination) : 60.79850
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 179.95140
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 306.90560
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 146.94098
B (Latitude of perihelion) : -44.26684
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2457628.43080
P (Orbital period in years) : 79.27
Epoch : 2021 Sep 25
Reference : MPC104791
Classification(s): : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); Halley type (P < 200 years)
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 light curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from an MPEC, or the latest values provided by the minor planet center. (8.50 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 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
2025-07-10 00:00 UT 16 30 09.7 +38 21 31 15.855 16.197 107.9 3.4 140 26.6
2025-07-10 04:09 UT 16 30 07.8 +38 21 14 15.857 16.197 107.8 3.4 140 26.6
2025-07-11 00:00 UT 16 29 58.9 +38 19 52 15.865 16.200 107.5 3.4 139 26.6
2025-07-12 00:00 UT 16 29 48.4 +38 18 10 15.875 16.203 107.1 3.4 138 26.6
2025-07-13 00:00 UT 16 29 38.1 +38 16 26 15.886 16.206 106.6 3.4 137 26.6
2025-07-14 00:00 UT 16 29 28.0 +38 14 39 15.896 16.210 106.2 3.5 136 26.6
2025-07-15 00:00 UT 16 29 18.2 +38 12 49 15.907 16.213 105.8 3.5 135 26.6
2025-07-16 00:00 UT 16 29 08.6 +38 10 57 15.917 16.216 105.3 3.5 134 26.6
2025-07-17 00:00 UT 16 28 59.2 +38 09 03 15.928 16.219 104.9 3.5 133 26.6
2025-07-18 00:00 UT 16 28 50.1 +38 07 07 15.939 16.222 104.4 3.5 132 26.6
2025-07-19 00:00 UT 16 28 41.2 +38 05 08 15.949 16.225 104.0 3.5 131 26.6
2025-07-20 00:00 UT 16 28 32.6 +38 03 07 15.960 16.229 103.5 3.5 131 26.6
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.