C/2018 F4 (PANSTARRS) - DISINTEGRATED
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	6 May 2019	14.5	3.939 AU	3.253 AU	11h54m	-58°59'	126.6°	11.9°	56°
Perihelion	30 Nov 2019	13.8	3.449 AU	3.793 AU	14h01m	-82°32'	62.4°	14.7°	218°
Disintegration	12 Sep 2020	15.6	4.316 AU	3.725 AU	03h01m	-37°16'	119.9°	11.7°	289°
Today	25 Oct 2025	-	15.614 AU	14.732 AU	01h13m	+38°37'	151.6°	1.7°	156°

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 .8 + 5 log[∆] + 18.8 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/2018 F4 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9979000
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.4488740
    i (Inclination)                 : 78.15870
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 26.54920
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 263.18880
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 86.34693
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -76.36380
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458818.10200
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 66555.98

    Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 24
    Reference                       : MPEC 2023-A50

    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
2025-10-24 00:00 UT   01 14 03.9   +38 39 31    14.723   15.606  151.6    1.7   159   29.1 
2025-10-25 00:00 UT   01 13 44.5   +38 38 26    14.729   15.611  151.6    1.7   157   29.1 
2025-10-25 12:40 UT   01 13 34.3   +38 37 51    14.732   15.614  151.6    1.7   156   29.1 
2025-10-26 00:00 UT   01 13 25.2   +38 37 19    14.734   15.617  151.7    1.7   155   29.1 
2025-10-27 00:00 UT   01 13 06.0   +38 36 10    14.740   15.622  151.6    1.7   153   29.1 
2025-10-28 00:00 UT   01 12 46.9   +38 34 60    14.746   15.628  151.6    1.7   150   29.1 
2025-10-29 00:00 UT   01 12 27.9   +38 33 47    14.753   15.633  151.5    1.7   148   29.1 
2025-10-30 00:00 UT   01 12 09.0   +38 32 33    14.759   15.639  151.3    1.7   146   29.1 
2025-10-31 00:00 UT   01 11 50.3   +38 31 16    14.766   15.644  151.2    1.8   144   29.1 
2025-11-01 00:00 UT   01 11 31.7   +38 29 58    14.774   15.649  151.0    1.8   141   29.1 
2025-11-02 00:00 UT   01 11 13.2   +38 28 39    14.781   15.655  150.7    1.8   139   29.1 
2025-11-03 00:00 UT   01 10 54.9   +38 27 18    14.789   15.660  150.5    1.8   137   29.1 
2025-11-04 00:00 UT   01 10 36.7   +38 25 55    14.797   15.666  150.2    1.8   135   29.1 

    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.