C/2026 M5 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	9 Aug 2026	21.5	5.004 AU	4.122 AU	21h55m	+15°42'	147.1°	6.3°	197°
Nearest approach	26 Aug 2026	21.4	4.994 AU	4.065 AU	21h33m	+12°46'	154.2°	5.1°	154°
Perihelion	8 Oct 2026	21.6	4.984 AU	4.435 AU	20h46m	+03°32'	118.1°	10.2°	85°

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. (11.4 + 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/2026 M5 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9359460
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.9836380
    i (Inclination)                 : 147.45520
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 114.49960
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 144.26960
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 145.73284
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 18.30968
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2461322.18960
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 686.28

    Epoch                           : 2026 Aug 09
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-P39

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-08-08 00:00 UT   21 58 01.2   +15 58 60     4.135    5.005  145.6    6.6   201   21.5 
2026-08-09 00:00 UT   21 56 41.3   +15 49 53     4.128    5.004  146.5    6.4   199   21.5 
2026-08-09 19:39 UT   21 55 35.6   +15 42 16     4.122    5.004  147.1    6.3   197   21.5 
2026-08-10 00:00 UT   21 55 21.0   +15 40 34     4.121    5.003  147.3    6.3   197   21.5 
2026-08-11 00:00 UT   21 54 00.5   +15 31 05     4.114    5.003  148.0    6.2   195   21.5 
2026-08-12 00:00 UT   21 52 39.7   +15 21 25     4.108    5.002  148.8    6.0   193   21.5 
2026-08-13 00:00 UT   21 51 18.7   +15 11 33     4.102    5.002  149.5    5.9   191   21.5 
2026-08-14 00:00 UT   21 49 57.5   +15 01 31     4.097    5.001  150.1    5.8   188   21.5 
2026-08-15 00:00 UT   21 48 36.1   +14 51 19     4.092    5.000  150.8    5.7   186   21.4 
2026-08-16 00:00 UT   21 47 14.7   +14 40 57     4.087    5.000  151.4    5.6   183   21.4 
2026-08-17 00:00 UT   21 45 53.1   +14 30 24     4.083    4.999  151.9    5.5   181   21.4 
2026-08-18 00:00 UT   21 44 31.6   +14 19 42     4.079    4.999  152.4    5.4   178   21.4 
2026-08-19 00:00 UT   21 43 10.0   +14 08 50     4.076    4.998  152.8    5.3   175   21.4 

    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.