C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	13 Jul 2022	8.9	2.641 AU	1.787 AU	16h59m	-03°52'	139.1°	14.6°	119°
Perihelion	17 Dec 2022	8.4	1.801 AU	2.485 AU	17h50m	-60°22'	37.1°	19.2°	176°
Today	7 Oct 2026	17.6	12.141 AU	11.918 AU	06h16m	+34°32'	100.5°	4.6°	270°

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 4.7 + 5 log[∆] + 7.0 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/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9982860
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.8006570
    i (Inclination)                 : 87.65400
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 88.22410
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 236.14130
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 91.71545
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -56.06979
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459931.14830
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 34051.03

    Epoch                           : 2026 Oct 07
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-T05

    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
2026-10-06 00:00 UT   06 16 21.7   +34 29 39    11.936   12.129   98.8    4.7   270   17.6 
2026-10-07 00:00 UT   06 16 17.1   +34 31 23    11.926   12.136   99.8    4.7   270   17.6 
2026-10-07 17:39 UT   06 16 13.4   +34 32 40    11.918   12.141  100.5    4.6   270   17.6 
2026-10-08 00:00 UT   06 16 12.1   +34 33 08    11.916   12.142  100.8    4.6   269   17.6 
2026-10-09 00:00 UT   06 16 06.6   +34 34 52    11.905   12.149  101.7    4.6   269   17.6 
2026-10-10 00:00 UT   06 16 00.7   +34 36 37    11.895   12.155  102.7    4.6   269   17.6 
2026-10-11 00:00 UT   06 15 54.4   +34 38 21    11.886   12.161  103.7    4.6   269   17.6 
2026-10-12 00:00 UT   06 15 47.7   +34 40 06    11.876   12.168  104.7    4.6   269   17.6 
2026-10-13 00:00 UT   06 15 40.5   +34 41 51    11.866   12.174  105.7    4.5   268   17.6 
2026-10-14 00:00 UT   06 15 33.0   +34 43 36    11.856   12.181  106.7    4.5   268   17.6 
2026-10-15 00:00 UT   06 15 25.0   +34 45 20    11.847   12.187  107.7    4.5   268   17.6 
2026-10-16 00:00 UT   06 15 16.6   +34 47 05    11.837   12.194  108.7    4.4   268   17.6 
2026-10-17 00:00 UT   06 15 07.7   +34 48 50    11.828   12.200  109.7    4.4   267   17.6 

    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.