C/2024 O1 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	27 Jan 2023	21.1	6.604 AU	7.568 AU	20h12m	-27°43'	11.0°	1.6°	214°
Nearest approach	24 Jul 2023	20.5	6.710 AU	5.700 AU	20h30m	-14°29'	173.5°	1.0°	214°
Today	5 May 2026	23.6	10.095 AU	10.496 AU	22h09m	+39°42'	64.0°	5.2°	270°

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)                : 0.9999030
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 6.6037990
    i (Inclination)                 : 59.08270
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 303.34730
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 349.83190
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 298.08225
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -8.71112
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459972.34490

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 04
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-05-04 00:00 UT   22 09 38.0   +39 35 49    10.500   10.090   63.4    5.1   271   23.6 
2026-05-05 00:00 UT   22 09 50.1   +39 42 09    10.496   10.095   64.0    5.1   270   23.6 
2026-05-05 01:53 UT   22 09 51.0   +39 42 39    10.496   10.095   64.0    5.2   270   23.6 
2026-05-06 00:00 UT   22 10 01.7   +39 48 30    10.492   10.099   64.5    5.2   269   23.6 
2026-05-07 00:00 UT   22 10 13.0   +39 54 50    10.488   10.104   65.0    5.2   269   23.6 
2026-05-08 00:00 UT   22 10 23.9   +40 01 11    10.483   10.108   65.6    5.2   268   23.6 
2026-05-09 00:00 UT   22 10 34.3   +40 07 32    10.479   10.113   66.1    5.2   267   23.7 
2026-05-10 00:00 UT   22 10 44.4   +40 13 53    10.474   10.117   66.7    5.3   266   23.7 
2026-05-11 00:00 UT   22 10 54.0   +40 20 14    10.470   10.122   67.2    5.3   266   23.7 
2026-05-12 00:00 UT   22 11 03.2   +40 26 35    10.465   10.126   67.7    5.3   265   23.7 
2026-05-13 00:00 UT   22 11 12.0   +40 32 56    10.460   10.131   68.3    5.3   264   23.7 
2026-05-14 00:00 UT   22 11 20.3   +40 39 17    10.456   10.135   68.9    5.3   263   23.7 
2026-05-15 00:00 UT   22 11 28.2   +40 45 37    10.451   10.140   69.4    5.4   263   23.7 

    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.