C/2020 K5 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	19 May 2021	13.9	1.557 AU	1.573 AU	01h44m	-45°12'	70.3°	37.7°	210°
Perihelion	3 Jun 2021	13.9	1.542 AU	1.612 AU	03h10m	-41°13'	67.5°	37.4°	204°
Today	7 Jan 2026	28.1	14.170 AU	13.320 AU	06h50m	+53°25'	148.7°	2.1°	171°

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. (11.0 + 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 K5 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0007080
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.5415280
    i (Inclination)                 : 67.07020
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 86.14280
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 249.64460
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 132.54304
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -59.70849
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459369.41790

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2021-R75

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-01-06 00:00 UT   06 51 24.4   +53 24 53    13.310   14.163  149.0    2.0   173   28.1 
2026-01-07 00:00 UT   06 50 56.3   +53 25 29    13.318   14.169  148.8    2.1   171   28.1 
2026-01-07 05:23 UT   06 50 50.0   +53 25 36    13.320   14.170  148.7    2.1   171   28.1 
2026-01-08 00:00 UT   06 50 28.3   +53 26 01    13.326   14.175  148.5    2.1   169   28.1 
2026-01-09 00:00 UT   06 50 00.3   +53 26 31    13.335   14.181  148.2    2.1   167   28.1 
2026-01-10 00:00 UT   06 49 32.4   +53 26 58    13.344   14.187  147.9    2.1   165   28.1 
2026-01-11 00:00 UT   06 49 04.6   +53 27 22    13.353   14.193  147.6    2.1   163   28.1 
2026-01-12 00:00 UT   06 48 36.9   +53 27 44    13.362   14.199  147.2    2.2   161   28.2 
2026-01-13 00:00 UT   06 48 09.4   +53 28 02    13.372   14.205  146.8    2.2   159   28.2 
2026-01-14 00:00 UT   06 47 42.0   +53 28 18    13.382   14.211  146.3    2.2   157   28.2 
2026-01-15 00:00 UT   06 47 14.7   +53 28 31    13.392   14.218  145.9    2.2   155   28.2 
2026-01-16 00:00 UT   06 46 47.6   +53 28 41    13.403   14.224  145.4    2.3   153   28.2 
2026-01-17 00:00 UT   06 46 20.6   +53 28 48    13.413   14.230  144.9    2.3   152   28.2 

    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.