P/2024 OC2 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	18 Sep 2024	15.7	0.711 AU	0.353 AU	13h14m	-15°22'	27.6°	139.1°	126°
Perihelion	9 Oct 2024	15.9	0.593 AU	0.488 AU	11h19m	-05°33'	24.9°	134.8°	273°
Today	19 Dec 2025	29.8	4.022 AU	4.446 AU	13h58m	-05°38'	58.6°	12.0°	294°

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. (20.5 + 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 P/2024 OC2 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.7741180
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.5930610
    i (Inclination)                 : 7.67080
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 136.61190
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 258.54670
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 215.05795
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -7.51716
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460592.78930
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 4.25

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2025-A40

    Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
    Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.873

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-12-18 00:00 UT   13 57 18.8   -05 34 05     4.466    4.014   56.9   11.9   294   29.8 
2025-12-19 00:00 UT   13 57 58.2   -05 36 15     4.456    4.018   57.8   12.0   294   29.8 
2025-12-19 22:55 UT   13 58 35.4   -05 38 16     4.446    4.022   58.6   12.0   294   29.8 
2025-12-20 00:00 UT   13 58 37.1   -05 38 21     4.446    4.022   58.6   12.1   294   29.8 
2025-12-21 00:00 UT   13 59 15.5   -05 40 23     4.436    4.026   59.5   12.1   294   29.8 
2025-12-22 00:00 UT   13 59 53.2   -05 42 20     4.425    4.030   60.3   12.2   294   29.8 
2025-12-23 00:00 UT   14 00 30.4   -05 44 12     4.415    4.034   61.2   12.3   294   29.8 
2025-12-24 00:00 UT   14 01 07.0   -05 45 60     4.404    4.038   62.0   12.4   293   29.8 
2025-12-25 00:00 UT   14 01 43.1   -05 47 43     4.394    4.041   62.9   12.5   293   29.8 
2025-12-26 00:00 UT   14 02 18.5   -05 49 21     4.383    4.045   63.8   12.6   293   29.8 
2025-12-27 00:00 UT   14 02 53.3   -05 50 55     4.372    4.049   64.6   12.7   293   29.8 
2025-12-28 00:00 UT   14 03 27.5   -05 52 24     4.361    4.053   65.5   12.8   293   29.8 
2025-12-29 00:00 UT   14 04 01.1   -05 53 48     4.349    4.057   66.4   12.8   293   29.8 

    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.