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°35'	127.6°	5.1°	168°
Perihelion	2 Aug 2020	20.7	8.880 AU	8.575 AU	18h11m	+49°21'	104.3°	6.4°	141°
Today	8 Aug 2026	24.2	14.904 AU	15.671 AU	08h02m	+53°08'	39.6°	2.5°	333°

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)                : 0.9999490
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 8.8796710
    i (Inclination)                 : 90.99450
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 288.44090
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 67.27320
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 286.06807
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 67.25260
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459064.18160

    Epoch                           : 2026 Aug 08
    Reference                       : MPC194167

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-08-07 00:00 UT   08 01 41.7   +53 09 53    15.674   14.897   38.7    2.4   335   24.2 
2026-08-08 00:00 UT   08 02 02.9   +53 08 52    15.673   14.901   39.2    2.5   334   24.2 
2026-08-08 19:06 UT   08 02 19.7   +53 08 04    15.671   14.904   39.6    2.5   333   24.2 
2026-08-09 00:00 UT   08 02 24.0   +53 07 52    15.671   14.905   39.7    2.5   332   24.2 
2026-08-10 00:00 UT   08 02 45.0   +53 06 55    15.669   14.909   40.2    2.5   331   24.2 
2026-08-11 00:00 UT   08 03 05.8   +53 05 60    15.666   14.913   40.7    2.5   330   24.2 
2026-08-12 00:00 UT   08 03 26.4   +53 05 07    15.664   14.917   41.3    2.6   329   24.2 
2026-08-13 00:00 UT   08 03 46.9   +53 04 15    15.661   14.921   41.8    2.6   328   24.2 
2026-08-14 00:00 UT   08 04 07.3   +53 03 26    15.658   14.925   42.3    2.6   327   24.2 
2026-08-15 00:00 UT   08 04 27.5   +53 02 38    15.655   14.929   42.9    2.6   326   24.2 
2026-08-16 00:00 UT   08 04 47.5   +53 01 52    15.651   14.933   43.5    2.7   325   24.2 
2026-08-17 00:00 UT   08 05 07.4   +53 01 08    15.648   14.937   44.1    2.7   324   24.2 
2026-08-18 00:00 UT   08 05 27.1   +53 00 27    15.644   14.941   44.7    2.7   323   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.