C/2020 H8 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	4 Jun 2020	20.2	4.657 AU	4.087 AU	17h43m	+37°48'	118.5°	11.0°	193°
Nearest approach	18 Jun 2020	20.2	4.659 AU	4.063 AU	17h23m	+36°03'	120.2°	10.9°	173°
Today	12 Oct 2026	28.6	15.844 AU	16.272 AU	11h58m	-69°14'	63.0°	3.2°	200°

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. (10.5 + 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/2020 H8 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9919500
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.6572750
    i (Inclination)                 : 99.68870
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 68.41370
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 128.75610
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 80.25402
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 50.23685
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459005.45720
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 13915.67

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194167

    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
2026-10-11 00:00 UT   11 58 14.9   -69 11 39    16.260   15.837   63.3    3.2   198   28.6 
2026-10-12 00:00 UT   11 58 42.7   -69 13 30    16.269   15.842   63.1    3.2   199   28.6 
2026-10-12 08:32 UT   11 58 52.5   -69 14 10    16.272   15.844   63.0    3.2   200   28.6 
2026-10-13 00:00 UT   11 59 10.3   -69 15 23    16.278   15.847   62.8    3.2   200   28.6 
2026-10-14 00:00 UT   11 59 37.7   -69 17 19    16.287   15.852   62.6    3.2   201   28.6 
2026-10-15 00:00 UT   12 00 04.9   -69 19 18    16.295   15.857   62.3    3.2   202   28.6 
2026-10-16 00:00 UT   12 00 32.0   -69 21 19    16.304   15.862   62.1    3.2   203   28.6 
2026-10-17 00:00 UT   12 00 58.9   -69 23 23    16.312   15.868   61.9    3.2   204   28.6 
2026-10-18 00:00 UT   12 01 25.5   -69 25 30    16.320   15.873   61.7    3.2   205   28.6 
2026-10-19 00:00 UT   12 01 52.0   -69 27 39    16.329   15.878   61.5    3.2   206   28.6 
2026-10-20 00:00 UT   12 02 18.2   -69 29 51    16.337   15.883   61.3    3.2   207   28.6 
2026-10-21 00:00 UT   12 02 44.3   -69 32 06    16.345   15.888   61.1    3.1   208   28.6 
2026-10-22 00:00 UT   12 03 10.1   -69 34 23    16.352   15.893   60.9    3.1   209   28.6 

    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.