C/2020 K4 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	4 Mar 2020	20.9	1.751 AU	2.446 AU	22h06m	-40°36'	36.4°	19.7°	203°
Nearest approach	7 Jun 2020	20.0	2.102 AU	1.111 AU	18h14m	-26°14'	163.0°	8.1°	278°
Today	26 Apr 2024	32.7	12.038 AU	11.637 AU	13h35m	+54°34'	111.2°	4.5°	169°

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.)

The orbital elements of C/2020 K4 (PANSTARRS) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9269630
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.7505040
            i (Inclination)                 : 125.58530
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 264.25110
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 308.85550
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 300.09249
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -39.29422
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458912.88860
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 117.34

            Epoch                           : 2024 Apr 25
            Reference                       : MPEC 2020-L06

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); Halley type (P < 200 years)
        

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC. The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (16.50 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 16.53 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]).

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.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.

The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.

A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Ephemerides:

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2024-04-26 00:00 UT   13 36 12.5   +54 33 54    11.630   12.035  111.5    4.5   170   32.7 
2024-04-26 14:08 UT   13 35 51.2   +54 34 07    11.637   12.038  111.2    4.5   169   32.7 
2024-04-27 00:00 UT   13 35 36.4   +54 34 15    11.643   12.041  111.0    4.5   169   32.7 
2024-04-28 00:00 UT   13 35 00.5   +54 34 31    11.655   12.046  110.6    4.5   168   32.7 
2024-04-29 00:00 UT   13 34 24.8   +54 34 42    11.668   12.052  110.1    4.5   167   32.7 
2024-04-30 00:00 UT   13 33 49.3   +54 34 47    11.680   12.057  109.7    4.5   166   32.7 
2024-05-01 00:00 UT   13 33 14.0   +54 34 47    11.693   12.063  109.2    4.5   165   32.7 
2024-05-02 00:00 UT   13 32 38.9   +54 34 42    11.706   12.068  108.7    4.5   164   32.7 
2024-05-03 00:00 UT   13 32 04.0   +54 34 31    11.719   12.073  108.2    4.5   162   32.7 
2024-05-04 00:00 UT   13 31 29.4   +54 34 16    11.733   12.079  107.8    4.6   161   32.7 
2024-05-05 00:00 UT   13 30 55.1   +54 33 55    11.746   12.084  107.3    4.6   160   32.7 
2024-05-06 00:00 UT   13 30 21.1   +54 33 28    11.759   12.090  106.8    4.6   159   32.7 

    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.