C/2025 V2 (Rankin)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	11 Feb 2026	18.8	4.822 AU	3.837 AU	09h26m	+16°26'	176.7°	0.7°	132°
Perihelion	22 Mar 2027	13.2	1.952 AU	1.827 AU	18h39m	+16°08'	81.8°	30.3°	272°
Nearest approach	30 Jun 2027	13.4	2.293 AU	1.416 AU	19h54m	+11°06'	140.3°	16.4°	210°

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. (9.0 + 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 V2 (Rankin) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0006400
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.9524590
    i (Inclination)                 : 37.28430
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 138.08250
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 102.71500
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 63.91527
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 36.22197
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2461487.48980

    Epoch                           : 2026 Feb 10
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-A90

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-02-10 00:00 UT   09 27 33.3   +16 19 51     3.845    4.831  177.8    0.5   143   18.8 
2026-02-11 00:00 UT   09 26 56.1   +16 26 50     3.837    4.822  176.7    0.7   132   18.8 
2026-02-11 00:33 UT   09 26 55.3   +16 26 59     3.837    4.822  176.7    0.7   132   18.8 
2026-02-12 00:00 UT   09 26 18.8   +16 33 49     3.829    4.814  175.6    0.9   127   18.7 
2026-02-13 00:00 UT   09 25 41.4   +16 40 49     3.822    4.805  174.4    1.1   123   18.7 
2026-02-14 00:00 UT   09 25 03.9   +16 47 49     3.815    4.797  173.2    1.4   121   18.7 
2026-02-15 00:00 UT   09 24 26.3   +16 54 50     3.808    4.788  172.1    1.6   120   18.7 
2026-02-16 00:00 UT   09 23 48.7   +17 01 50     3.802    4.780  170.9    1.9   118   18.7 
2026-02-17 00:00 UT   09 23 11.0   +17 08 50     3.796    4.771  169.7    2.1   118   18.7 
2026-02-18 00:00 UT   09 22 33.4   +17 15 49     3.790    4.762  168.5    2.4   117   18.7 
2026-02-19 00:00 UT   09 21 55.8   +17 22 48     3.785    4.754  167.3    2.6   116   18.7 
2026-02-20 00:00 UT   09 21 18.3   +17 29 46     3.780    4.745  166.1    2.9   116   18.6 
2026-02-21 00:00 UT   09 20 40.9   +17 36 43     3.775    4.737  165.0    3.1   115   18.6 

    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.