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C/2017 T2 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Nearest approach28 Dec 20199.82.334 AU1.524 AU03h34m+52°51'136.0°17.0°115°
Perihelion6 May 20208.61.603 AU1.699 AU07h01m+75°32'67.1°35.4°67°
Today16 Oct 202522.315.938 AU16.097 AU19h00m-66°36'79.1°3.5°92°
C/2017 T2 (PANSTARRS)- 2025-10-16
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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 5.7 + 5 log[∆] + 8.8 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 T2 (PANSTARRS) are: 

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9990290
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.6025270
    i (Inclination)                 : 57.27700
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 64.42410
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 92.77200
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : -20.45771
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 57.17281
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458975.83810
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 67046.97

    Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 15
    Reference                       : MPEC 2024-A43

    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
2025-10-15 00:00 UT   18 59 53.2   -66 40 56    16.064   15.927   80.3    3.5    91   22.2 
2025-10-16 00:00 UT   19 00 03.2   -66 38 36    16.081   15.933   79.7    3.5    92   22.2 
2025-10-16 20:51 UT   19 00 12.3   -66 36 36    16.097   15.938   79.1    3.5    92   22.3 
2025-10-17 00:00 UT   19 00 13.8   -66 36 17    16.099   15.939   79.0    3.5    93   22.3 
2025-10-18 00:00 UT   19 00 24.9   -66 33 59    16.117   15.945   78.3    3.5    93   22.3 
2025-10-19 00:00 UT   19 00 36.7   -66 31 40    16.134   15.950   77.6    3.5    94   22.3 
2025-10-20 00:00 UT   19 00 49.0   -66 29 23    16.152   15.956   76.9    3.5    94   22.3 
2025-10-21 00:00 UT   19 01 01.8   -66 27 05    16.169   15.962   76.2    3.5    95   22.3 
2025-10-22 00:00 UT   19 01 15.2   -66 24 49    16.187   15.968   75.5    3.5    96   22.3 
2025-10-23 00:00 UT   19 01 29.2   -66 22 33    16.204   15.973   74.8    3.4    96   22.3 
2025-10-24 00:00 UT   19 01 43.6   -66 20 17    16.221   15.979   74.2    3.4    97   22.3 
2025-10-25 00:00 UT   19 01 58.6   -66 18 02    16.239   15.985   73.5    3.4    98   22.3 
2025-10-26 00:00 UT   19 02 14.2   -66 15 48    16.256   15.991   72.8    3.4    99   22.3 




    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.

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