C/2020 K5 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	18 May 2021	13.9	1.558 AU	1.578 AU	01h44m	-45°06'	70.1°	37.6°	209°
Perihelion	3 Jun 2021	13.9	1.543 AU	1.617 AU	03h08m	-41°11'	67.3°	37.4°	204°
Today	1 Sep 2026	29.0	15.589 AU	16.072 AU	07h18m	+51°33'	59.8°	3.2°	298°

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)                : 1.0005890
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.5425610
    i (Inclination)                 : 67.08520
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 86.15270
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 249.64210
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 132.53140
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -59.71776
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459368.91530

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194167

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-08-31 00:00 UT   07 18 02.2   +51 30 57    16.081   15.581   58.7    3.2   298   29.0 
2026-09-01 00:00 UT   07 18 18.2   +51 32 25    16.075   15.587   59.4    3.2   298   29.0 
2026-09-01 10:04 UT   07 18 24.8   +51 33 03    16.072   15.589   59.8    3.2   298   29.0 
2026-09-02 00:00 UT   07 18 33.9   +51 33 55    16.069   15.592   60.2    3.2   297   29.0 
2026-09-03 00:00 UT   07 18 49.4   +51 35 26    16.062   15.598   61.0    3.2   297   29.0 
2026-09-04 00:00 UT   07 19 04.5   +51 36 58    16.055   15.604   61.8    3.3   296   29.0 
2026-09-05 00:00 UT   07 19 19.4   +51 38 32    16.048   15.610   62.6    3.3   296   29.0 
2026-09-06 00:00 UT   07 19 34.0   +51 40 08    16.041   15.616   63.3    3.3   295   29.0 
2026-09-07 00:00 UT   07 19 48.3   +51 41 44    16.034   15.622   64.1    3.3   295   29.0 
2026-09-08 00:00 UT   07 20 02.3   +51 43 22    16.027   15.628   64.9    3.3   294   29.0 
2026-09-09 00:00 UT   07 20 15.9   +51 45 02    16.020   15.633   65.7    3.4   294   29.0 
2026-09-10 00:00 UT   07 20 29.3   +51 46 43    16.012   15.639   66.5    3.4   293   29.0 
2026-09-11 00:00 UT   07 20 42.4   +51 48 25    16.005   15.645   67.3    3.4   293   29.0 

    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.