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	14 Dec 2025	28.1	14.025 AU	13.205 AU	07h01m	+52°59'	145.2°	2.3°	220°

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
2025-12-13 00:00 UT   07 02 26.0   +52 56 37    13.203   14.016  144.4    2.3   223   28.1 
2025-12-14 00:00 UT   07 02 00.0   +52 58 19    13.204   14.022  145.0    2.3   221   28.1 
2025-12-14 12:17 UT   07 01 46.7   +52 59 09    13.205   14.025  145.2    2.3   220   28.1 
2025-12-15 00:00 UT   07 01 33.9   +52 59 57    13.205   14.028  145.5    2.3   220   28.1 
2025-12-16 00:00 UT   07 01 07.5   +53 01 34    13.207   14.034  145.9    2.3   218   28.1 
2025-12-17 00:00 UT   07 00 40.9   +53 03 07    13.209   14.040  146.4    2.2   216   28.1 
2025-12-18 00:00 UT   07 00 14.1   +53 04 38    13.212   14.046  146.8    2.2   214   28.1 
2025-12-19 00:00 UT   06 59 47.2   +53 06 07    13.214   14.052  147.2    2.2   212   28.1 
2025-12-20 00:00 UT   06 59 20.0   +53 07 33    13.217   14.059  147.6    2.1   210   28.1 
2025-12-21 00:00 UT   06 58 52.7   +53 08 56    13.220   14.065  148.0    2.1   208   28.1 
2025-12-22 00:00 UT   06 58 25.3   +53 10 17    13.224   14.071  148.3    2.1   206   28.1 
2025-12-23 00:00 UT   06 57 57.7   +53 11 35    13.228   14.077  148.6    2.1   204   28.1 
2025-12-24 00:00 UT   06 57 30.0   +53 12 50    13.232   14.083  148.8    2.1   202   28.1 

    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.