C/2020 K4 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	7 Mar 2020	21.0	1.760 AU	2.429 AU	22h07m	-40°05'	38.2°	20.4°	207°
Nearest approach	7 Jun 2020	20.0	2.098 AU	1.106 AU	18h15m	-26°20'	163.0°	8.1°	278°
Today	24 Apr 2026	34.8	16.425 AU	16.060 AU	13h03m	+56°21'	109.6°	3.3°	164°

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. This lightcurve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 16.6 + 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 K4 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9613540
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.7595050
    i (Inclination)                 : 125.93690
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 264.27110
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 310.23480
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 299.01783
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -38.17755
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458916.41290
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 307.21

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 16
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-04-23 00:00 UT   13 04 16.6   +56 21 41    16.041   16.417  110.3    3.3   165   34.7 
2026-04-24 00:00 UT   13 03 50.5   +56 21 37    16.054   16.422  109.8    3.3   164   34.8 
2026-04-24 12:08 UT   13 03 37.4   +56 21 34    16.060   16.425  109.6    3.3   164   34.8 
2026-04-25 00:00 UT   13 03 24.6   +56 21 30    16.067   16.427  109.3    3.3   163   34.8 
2026-04-26 00:00 UT   13 02 58.8   +56 21 18    16.080   16.432  108.8    3.3   162   34.8 
2026-04-27 00:00 UT   13 02 33.2   +56 21 03    16.093   16.438  108.3    3.3   161   34.8 
2026-04-28 00:00 UT   13 02 07.8   +56 20 45    16.106   16.443  107.8    3.3   160   34.8 
2026-04-29 00:00 UT   13 01 42.6   +56 20 22    16.119   16.448  107.3    3.4   159   34.8 
2026-04-30 00:00 UT   13 01 17.6   +56 19 56    16.133   16.453  106.8    3.4   158   34.8 
2026-05-01 00:00 UT   13 00 52.8   +56 19 27    16.146   16.458  106.3    3.4   157   34.8 
2026-05-02 00:00 UT   13 00 28.2   +56 18 54    16.160   16.463  105.8    3.4   156   34.8 
2026-05-03 00:00 UT   13 00 03.9   +56 18 17    16.174   16.468  105.3    3.4   155   34.8 
2026-05-04 00:00 UT   12 59 39.8   +56 17 37    16.187   16.473  104.7    3.4   154   34.8 

    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.