C/2020 K2 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	13 Jul 2019	20.8	9.156 AU	8.500 AU	18h46m	+29°34'	127.6°	5.0°	168°
Perihelion	3 Aug 2020	20.7	8.880 AU	8.579 AU	18h11m	+49°19'	104.1°	6.4°	140°
Today	18 Jan 2026	23.6	14.099 AU	13.345 AU	08h01m	+61°49'	138.6°	2.6°	180°

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)                : 1.0001230
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 8.8802290
    i (Inclination)                 : 90.98540
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 288.43670
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 67.29180
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 286.08341
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 67.27156
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459065.03800

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jan 18
    Reference                       : MPEC 2021-N06

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-01-17 00:00 UT   08 03 14.2   +61 50 31    13.334   14.091  139.0    2.6   183   23.6 
2026-01-18 00:00 UT   08 02 33.6   +61 49 59    13.340   14.095  138.8    2.6   181   23.6 
2026-01-18 21:59 UT   08 01 56.5   +61 49 26    13.345   14.099  138.6    2.6   180   23.6 
2026-01-19 00:00 UT   08 01 53.1   +61 49 23    13.346   14.099  138.6    2.6   180   23.6 
2026-01-20 00:00 UT   08 01 12.7   +61 48 43    13.352   14.103  138.4    2.7   178   23.6 
2026-01-21 00:00 UT   08 00 32.4   +61 47 59    13.358   14.107  138.2    2.7   176   23.6 
2026-01-22 00:00 UT   07 59 52.1   +61 47 12    13.365   14.111  137.9    2.7   175   23.6 
2026-01-23 00:00 UT   07 59 12.0   +61 46 20    13.372   14.115  137.6    2.7   173   23.6 
2026-01-24 00:00 UT   07 58 32.0   +61 45 25    13.379   14.119  137.4    2.7   171   23.6 
2026-01-25 00:00 UT   07 57 52.2   +61 44 26    13.386   14.123  137.0    2.7   170   23.6 
2026-01-26 00:00 UT   07 57 12.5   +61 43 23    13.394   14.127  136.7    2.7   168   23.6 
2026-01-27 00:00 UT   07 56 33.1   +61 42 16    13.402   14.131  136.3    2.8   166   23.6 
2026-01-28 00:00 UT   07 55 53.8   +61 41 06    13.410   14.135  136.0    2.8   165   23.6 

    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.