C/2020 N1 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	4 Feb 2021	15.5	1.431 AU	1.247 AU	01h44m	+26°00'	78.7°	42.5°	66°
Perihelion	13 Mar 2021	15.3	1.320 AU	1.305 AU	03h59m	+17°01'	68.6°	44.5°	80°
Today	15 Sep 2026	31.7	16.343 AU	16.469 AU	16h39m	-34°50'	81.0°	3.5°	100°

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 13.5 + 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 N1 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0010240
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.3199970
    i (Inclination)                 : 29.77520
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 279.85670
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 186.88180
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 285.83705
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -3.41129
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459286.87820

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194168

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-09-14 00:00 UT   16 39 04.8   -34 52 01    16.436   16.335   82.4    3.5   100   31.7 
2026-09-15 00:00 UT   16 39 10.1   -34 51 14    16.458   16.340   81.5    3.5   100   31.7 
2026-09-15 12:00 UT   16 39 12.8   -34 50 51    16.469   16.343   81.0    3.5   100   31.7 
2026-09-16 00:00 UT   16 39 15.6   -34 50 28    16.480   16.346   80.6    3.5   100   31.7 
2026-09-17 00:00 UT   16 39 21.5   -34 49 43    16.502   16.352   79.6    3.5   100   31.7 
2026-09-18 00:00 UT   16 39 27.5   -34 48 58    16.524   16.358   78.7    3.5   101   31.7 
2026-09-19 00:00 UT   16 39 33.9   -34 48 14    16.546   16.363   77.8    3.4   101   31.7 
2026-09-20 00:00 UT   16 39 40.5   -34 47 31    16.568   16.369   76.8    3.4   101   31.7 
2026-09-21 00:00 UT   16 39 47.4   -34 46 49    16.590   16.375   75.9    3.4   101   31.7 
2026-09-22 00:00 UT   16 39 54.6   -34 46 07    16.612   16.381   75.0    3.4   101   31.7 
2026-09-23 00:00 UT   16 40 02.0   -34 45 26    16.633   16.387   74.1    3.4   102   31.7 
2026-09-24 00:00 UT   16 40 09.6   -34 44 46    16.655   16.392   73.1    3.4   102   31.7 
2026-09-25 00:00 UT   16 40 17.5   -34 44 07    16.677   16.398   72.2    3.3   102   31.7 

    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.