C/2024 O1 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	27 Jan 2023	21.1	6.602 AU	7.567 AU	20h12m	-27°44'	10.9°	1.6°	213°
Nearest approach	24 Jul 2023	20.5	6.709 AU	5.699 AU	20h30m	-14°29'	173.5°	1.0°	214°
Today	6 Sep 2026	23.8	10.662 AU	10.074 AU	21h41m	+47°33'	123.3°	4.5°	157°

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. (8.5 + 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 C/2024 O1 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9996930
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 6.6023700
    i (Inclination)                 : 59.08210
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 303.34600
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 349.81160
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 298.07018
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -8.72840
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459972.11260

    Epoch                           : 2026 Sep 05
    Reference                       : MPC194190

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-09-05 00:00 UT   21 42 16.8   +47 35 01    10.069   10.654  123.1    4.5   159   23.8 
2026-09-06 00:00 UT   21 41 50.8   +47 34 08    10.073   10.659  123.3    4.5   157   23.8 
2026-09-06 12:44 UT   21 41 37.1   +47 33 38    10.074   10.662  123.3    4.5   157   23.8 
2026-09-07 00:00 UT   21 41 25.0   +47 33 10    10.076   10.664  123.4    4.5   156   23.8 
2026-09-08 00:00 UT   21 40 59.4   +47 32 08    10.079   10.668  123.5    4.5   155   23.8 
2026-09-09 00:00 UT   21 40 34.1   +47 31 00    10.083   10.673  123.5    4.5   153   23.8 
2026-09-10 00:00 UT   21 40 09.0   +47 29 48    10.087   10.677  123.6    4.5   152   23.8 
2026-09-11 00:00 UT   21 39 44.2   +47 28 31    10.091   10.682  123.7    4.5   151   23.8 
2026-09-12 00:00 UT   21 39 19.7   +47 27 10    10.095   10.687  123.7    4.5   150   23.8 
2026-09-13 00:00 UT   21 38 55.5   +47 25 44    10.099   10.691  123.7    4.5   148   23.8 
2026-09-14 00:00 UT   21 38 31.5   +47 24 13    10.104   10.696  123.7    4.5   147   23.8 
2026-09-15 00:00 UT   21 38 07.9   +47 22 38    10.109   10.700  123.7    4.5   146   23.8 
2026-09-16 00:00 UT   21 37 44.6   +47 20 59    10.114   10.705  123.7    4.5   144   23.8 

    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.