C/2022 A2 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	17 Jan 2023	9.5	1.784 AU	1.612 AU	17h32m	+56°37'	83.1°	33.2°	327°
Perihelion	18 Feb 2023	9.7	1.735 AU	1.867 AU	21h38m	+54°47'	66.8°	31.6°	353°
Today	31 Jan 2026	23.2	10.116 AU	10.841 AU	23h28m	-41°11'	40.8°	3.6°	114°

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 5.3 + 5 log[∆] + 12.7 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/2022 A2 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0000820
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.7350800
    i (Inclination)                 : 108.19400
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 171.62430
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 88.36970
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 86.83270
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 71.73557
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459993.72820

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jan 30
    Reference                       : MPEC 2024-P23

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-01-30 00:00 UT   23 28 01.6   -41 13 52    10.828   10.109   41.3    3.7   112   23.2 
2026-01-31 00:00 UT   23 28 22.9   -41 11 23    10.841   10.116   40.8    3.6   114   23.2 
2026-01-31 00:46 UT   23 28 23.6   -41 11 19    10.841   10.116   40.8    3.6   114   23.2 
2026-02-01 00:00 UT   23 28 44.5   -41 08 56    10.854   10.123   40.3    3.6   115   23.2 
2026-02-02 00:00 UT   23 29 06.2   -41 06 30    10.866   10.130   39.9    3.6   116   23.2 
2026-02-03 00:00 UT   23 29 28.2   -41 04 07    10.878   10.137   39.5    3.5   117   23.2 
2026-02-04 00:00 UT   23 29 50.4   -41 01 44    10.890   10.144   39.0    3.5   119   23.2 
2026-02-05 00:00 UT   23 30 12.7   -40 59 24    10.902   10.151   38.6    3.5   120   23.2 
2026-02-06 00:00 UT   23 30 35.3   -40 57 05    10.914   10.158   38.2    3.4   121   23.2 
2026-02-07 00:00 UT   23 30 58.1   -40 54 48    10.925   10.165   37.9    3.4   123   23.2 
2026-02-08 00:00 UT   23 31 21.1   -40 52 34    10.936   10.172   37.5    3.4   124   23.2 
2026-02-09 00:00 UT   23 31 44.2   -40 50 20    10.947   10.179   37.2    3.4   125   23.2 
2026-02-10 00:00 UT   23 32 07.6   -40 48 09    10.958   10.186   36.9    3.3   127   23.2 

    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.