C/2020 F5 (MASTER) |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Perihelion | 16 Mar 2021 | 15.2 | 4.325 AU | 4.994 AU td > | 22h37m | -42°42' | 43.4° | 9.1° | 204° |
Nearest approach | 22 Aug 2021 | 14.7 | 4.515 AU | 3.586 AU td > | 23h13m | -32°48' | 153.6° | 5.7° | 319° |
Today | 22 Oct 2025 | 21.3 | 12.458 AU | 11.755 AU td > | 00h41m | +56°05' | 133.2° | 3.3° | 158° |
C/2020 F5 (MASTER)- 2025-10-22
astro.vanbuitenen.nl
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.
This lightcurve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 5.9 + 5 log[∆] + 9.2 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/2020 F5 (MASTER) are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.9734780
q (Perihelion distance) : 4.3254700
i (Inclination) : 52.23830
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 350.55400
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 310.59500
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 315.00437
B (Latitude of perihelion) : -36.89123
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2459289.50260
P (Orbital period in years) : 2082.77
Epoch : 2025 Oct 21
Reference : MPEC 2024-UQ8
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
2025-10-21 00:00 UT 00 42 03.6 +56 07 25 11.750 12.450 133.0 3.4 160 21.3
2025-10-22 00:00 UT 00 41 35.3 +56 06 03 11.754 12.456 133.1 3.3 158 21.3
2025-10-22 09:13 UT 00 41 24.5 +56 05 31 11.755 12.458 133.2 3.3 158 21.3
2025-10-23 00:00 UT 00 41 07.2 +56 04 37 11.758 12.461 133.3 3.3 157 21.3
2025-10-24 00:00 UT 00 40 39.4 +56 03 07 11.762 12.467 133.4 3.3 155 21.3
2025-10-25 00:00 UT 00 40 11.9 +56 01 34 11.766 12.472 133.5 3.3 154 21.3
2025-10-26 00:00 UT 00 39 44.6 +55 59 57 11.771 12.477 133.6 3.3 152 21.3
2025-10-27 00:00 UT 00 39 17.5 +55 58 16 11.776 12.483 133.6 3.3 151 21.3
2025-10-28 00:00 UT 00 38 50.8 +55 56 31 11.781 12.488 133.7 3.3 149 21.3
2025-10-29 00:00 UT 00 38 24.4 +55 54 43 11.786 12.494 133.7 3.3 147 21.3
2025-10-30 00:00 UT 00 37 58.2 +55 52 52 11.792 12.499 133.7 3.3 146 21.3
2025-10-31 00:00 UT 00 37 32.4 +55 50 57 11.797 12.504 133.7 3.3 144 21.3
2025-11-01 00:00 UT 00 37 07.0 +55 48 59 11.803 12.510 133.7 3.3 143 21.3
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.