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	5 Sep 2026	24.2	15.017 AU	15.539 AU	08h10m	+52°53'	57.2°	3.2°	308°

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)                : 0.9998590
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 8.8796950
    i (Inclination)                 : 90.99490
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 288.44060
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 67.27120
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 286.06705
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 67.25059
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459064.07090

    Epoch                           : 2026 Sep 05
    Reference                       : MPC194167

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-09-04 00:00 UT   08 10 30.4   +52 53 29    15.552   15.009   55.9    3.2   310   24.2 
2026-09-05 00:00 UT   08 10 46.1   +52 53 21    15.545   15.013   56.6    3.2   309   24.2 
2026-09-05 21:07 UT   08 10 59.8   +52 53 16    15.539   15.017   57.2    3.2   308   24.2 
2026-09-06 00:00 UT   08 11 01.6   +52 53 16    15.538   15.017   57.3    3.2   308   24.2 
2026-09-07 00:00 UT   08 11 16.9   +52 53 12    15.530   15.021   58.0    3.3   308   24.2 
2026-09-08 00:00 UT   08 11 31.8   +52 53 10    15.523   15.025   58.7    3.3   307   24.2 
2026-09-09 00:00 UT   08 11 46.5   +52 53 10    15.515   15.029   59.5    3.3   306   24.2 
2026-09-10 00:00 UT   08 12 00.9   +52 53 12    15.508   15.033   60.2    3.3   306   24.2 
2026-09-11 00:00 UT   08 12 15.0   +52 53 16    15.500   15.037   61.0    3.4   305   24.2 
2026-09-12 00:00 UT   08 12 28.8   +52 53 22    15.492   15.041   61.7    3.4   305   24.2 
2026-09-13 00:00 UT   08 12 42.3   +52 53 30    15.484   15.045   62.5    3.4   304   24.2 
2026-09-14 00:00 UT   08 12 55.5   +52 53 39    15.476   15.049   63.2    3.4   303   24.2 
2026-09-15 00:00 UT   08 13 08.4   +52 53 51    15.467   15.053   64.0    3.4   303   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.