P/2021 R3 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	27 Nov 2025	26.3	4.830 AU	4.810 AU	10h34m	-00°07'	85.3°	11.7°	291°
Nearest approach	15 Jul 2028	21.0	2.548 AU	1.542 AU	19h21m	-30°49'	169.8°	4.0°	25°
Perihelion	16 Sep 2028	21.5	2.517 AU	1.983 AU	19h03m	-21°31'	110.5°	22.0°	84°

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. 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. (16.0 + 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 P/2021 R3 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.3319670
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.5173770
    i (Inclination)                 : 19.94440
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 304.19720
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 2.57110
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 306.61428
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 0.87676
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2462031.39560
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 7.32

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 27
    Reference                       : MPEC 2021-W31

    Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
    Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.890

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-11-26 00:00 UT   10 33 41.7   +00 01 50     4.841    4.832   83.6   11.7   291   26.3 
2025-11-27 00:00 UT   10 33 58.1   +00 03 11     4.824    4.831   84.5   11.7   291   26.3 
2025-11-27 18:56 UT   10 34 10.6   +00 07 06     4.810    4.830   85.3   11.7   291   26.3 
2025-11-28 00:00 UT   10 34 13.9   +00 08 09     4.806    4.830   85.5   11.8   291   26.2 
2025-11-29 00:00 UT   10 34 29.0   +00 13 05     4.789    4.828   86.4   11.8   291   26.2 
2025-11-30 00:00 UT   10 34 43.3   +00 17 58     4.772    4.827   87.3   11.8   292   26.2 
2025-12-01 00:00 UT   10 34 57.0   +00 22 49     4.755    4.826   88.2   11.8   292   26.2 
2025-12-02 00:00 UT   10 35 10.0   +00 27 37     4.738    4.825   89.1   11.8   292   26.2 
2025-12-03 00:00 UT   10 35 22.2   +00 32 22     4.721    4.823   90.1   11.8   292   26.2 
2025-12-04 00:00 UT   10 35 33.7   +00 37 04     4.704    4.822   91.0   11.8   292   26.2 
2025-12-05 00:00 UT   10 35 44.5   +00 41 43     4.686    4.821   91.9   11.8   292   26.2 
2025-12-06 00:00 UT   10 35 54.6   +00 46 19     4.669    4.820   92.8   11.8   293   26.2 
2025-12-07 00:00 UT   10 36 03.9   +00 50 52     4.652    4.818   93.8   11.8   293   26.2 

    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.