C/2025 R3 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	14 Oct 2025	19.0	3.176 AU	2.296 AU	00h16m	+38°38'	146.6°	9.9°	151°
Perihelion	19 Apr 2026	7.2	0.498 AU	0.587 AU	00h28m	+16°29'	20.3°	135.5°	282°
Nearest approach	26 Apr 2026	3.7	0.522 AU	0.490 AU	02h27m	+07°58'	6.4°	167.7°	150°

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. (12.2 + 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/2025 R3 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9999960
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.4980880
    i (Inclination)                 : 124.70790
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 38.67710
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 162.26290
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 48.99884
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 14.50368
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2461150.42210

    Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 13
    Reference                       : MPEC 2025-T80

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-10-14 00:00 UT   00 19 06.1   +38 43 48     2.305    3.186  146.7    9.9   154   19.0 
2025-10-14 18:50 UT   00 16 59.5   +38 38 49     2.296    3.176  146.6    9.9   151   19.0 
2025-10-15 00:00 UT   00 16 24.7   +38 37 24     2.294    3.174  146.6   10.0   151   19.0 
2025-10-16 00:00 UT   00 13 42.9   +38 30 30     2.283    3.161  146.4   10.1   148   19.0 
2025-10-17 00:00 UT   00 11 00.6   +38 23 05     2.272    3.149  146.1   10.2   145   19.0 
2025-10-18 00:00 UT   00 08 18.2   +38 15 10     2.262    3.136  145.8   10.3   142   18.9 
2025-10-19 00:00 UT   00 05 35.7   +38 06 45     2.252    3.123  145.4   10.4   139   18.9 
2025-10-20 00:00 UT   00 02 53.4   +37 57 51     2.243    3.111  145.0   10.6   136   18.9 
2025-10-21 00:00 UT   00 00 11.2   +37 48 26     2.234    3.098  144.5   10.8   133   18.9 
2025-10-22 00:00 UT   23 57 29.5   +37 38 33     2.225    3.085  143.9   11.0   131   18.8 
2025-10-23 00:00 UT   23 54 48.3   +37 28 11     2.217    3.073  143.3   11.2   128   18.8 
2025-10-24 00:00 UT   23 52 07.8   +37 17 21     2.209    3.060  142.6   11.4   125   18.8 

    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.