P/2020 G1 (Pimentel)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	17 Jan 2026	26.9	4.244 AU	5.198 AU	19h28m	-09°50'	12.6°	2.9°	332°
Perihelion	24 Jan 2027	12.9	0.502 AU	0.665 AU	22h20m	-17°11'	27.7°	114.3°	81°
Nearest approach	28 Feb 2027	14.4	0.886 AU	0.391 AU	19h47m	-63°01'	63.2°	93.6°	230°

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. (17.0 + 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 P/2020 G1 (Pimentel) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.8608200
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.5018880
    i (Inclination)                 : 18.50450
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 240.08970
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 207.66190
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 266.52001
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -8.47305
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2461429.80210
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 6.85

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2020-L06

    Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
    Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.246

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-01-16 00:00 UT   19 27 40.6   -09 53 19     5.206    4.250   12.4    2.8   335   26.9 
2026-01-17 00:00 UT   19 28 37.1   -09 50 43     5.199    4.244   12.6    2.9   332   26.9 
2026-01-17 00:34 UT   19 28 38.4   -09 50 39     5.198    4.244   12.6    2.9   332   26.9 
2026-01-18 00:00 UT   19 29 33.6   -09 48 03     5.191    4.237   12.9    3.0   328   26.8 
2026-01-19 00:00 UT   19 30 30.2   -09 45 21     5.183    4.231   13.2    3.0   325   26.8 
2026-01-20 00:00 UT   19 31 26.8   -09 42 34     5.175    4.224   13.6    3.1   322   26.8 
2026-01-21 00:00 UT   19 32 23.5   -09 39 45     5.166    4.218   14.0    3.2   319   26.8 
2026-01-22 00:00 UT   19 33 20.2   -09 36 52     5.158    4.211   14.4    3.3   316   26.8 
2026-01-23 00:00 UT   19 34 17.0   -09 33 56     5.149    4.205   14.8    3.4   314   26.8 
2026-01-24 00:00 UT   19 35 13.7   -09 30 56     5.140    4.198   15.3    3.5   311   26.8 
2026-01-25 00:00 UT   19 36 10.5   -09 27 53     5.130    4.191   15.8    3.7   309   26.8 
2026-01-26 00:00 UT   19 37 07.3   -09 24 47     5.121    4.185   16.3    3.8   307   26.8 
2026-01-27 00:00 UT   19 38 04.2   -09 21 38     5.111    4.178   16.9    3.9   305   26.8 

    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.