C/2020 K2 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	13 Jul 2019	20.8	9.154 AU	8.499 AU	18h46m	+29°36'	127.5°	5.1°	168°
Perihelion	2 Aug 2020	20.7	8.880 AU	8.575 AU	18h12m	+49°22'	104.3°	6.4°	141°
Today	19 Sep 2026	24.2	15.073 AU	15.424 AU	08h14m	+52°55'	67.8°	3.5°	300°

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. (6.5 + 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 K2 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9998150
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 8.8797040
    i (Inclination)                 : 90.99510
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 288.44050
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 67.27030
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 286.06658
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 67.24968
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459064.01510

    Epoch                           : 2026 Sep 19
    Reference                       : MPC194167

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-09-18 00:00 UT   08 13 45.2   +52 54 35    15.441   15.066   66.3    3.5   301   24.2 
2026-09-19 00:00 UT   08 13 56.8   +52 54 54    15.433   15.070   67.0    3.5   300   24.2 
2026-09-19 21:40 UT   08 14 07.0   +52 55 12    15.424   15.073   67.8    3.5   300   24.2 
2026-09-20 00:00 UT   08 14 08.1   +52 55 14    15.424   15.074   67.8    3.5   300   24.2 
2026-09-21 00:00 UT   08 14 19.0   +52 55 36    15.414   15.078   68.6    3.6   299   24.2 
2026-09-22 00:00 UT   08 14 29.7   +52 56 00    15.405   15.082   69.4    3.6   299   24.2 
2026-09-23 00:00 UT   08 14 40.0   +52 56 26    15.396   15.086   70.2    3.6   298   24.2 
2026-09-24 00:00 UT   08 14 49.9   +52 56 53    15.387   15.090   71.0    3.6   298   24.2 
2026-09-25 00:00 UT   08 14 59.5   +52 57 22    15.377   15.094   71.8    3.6   297   24.2 
2026-09-26 00:00 UT   08 15 08.7   +52 57 53    15.368   15.098   72.5    3.6   297   24.2 
2026-09-27 00:00 UT   08 15 17.6   +52 58 25    15.358   15.102   73.3    3.6   296   24.2 
2026-09-28 00:00 UT   08 15 26.1   +52 58 59    15.348   15.106   74.1    3.7   296   24.2 
2026-09-29 00:00 UT   08 15 34.3   +52 59 35    15.339   15.110   74.9    3.7   295   24.2 

    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.