|
C/2020 N1 (PANSTARRS) |
| ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
| Nearest approach | 4 Feb 2021 | 15.5 | 1.426 AU | 1.246 AU | 01h46m | +25°53' | 78.5° | 42.6° | 66° |
| Perihelion | 13 Mar 2021 | 15.2 | 1.318 AU | 1.302 AU | 03h58m | +17°01' | 68.6° | 44.6° | 80° |
| Today | 15 Oct 2025 | 30.9 | 14.351 AU | 14.967 AU | 16h31m | -35°09' | 50.3° | 3.1° | 110° |
C/2020 N1 (PANSTARRS)- 2025-10-15
astro.vanbuitenen.nl
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) : 1.0009220
q (Perihelion distance) : 1.3180380
i (Inclination) : 29.76880
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 279.85370
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 186.84980
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 285.80655
B (Latitude of perihelion) : -3.39483
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2459286.75710
Epoch : 2025 Oct 15
Reference : MPEC 2022-GA9
Classification(s): : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)
Ephemerides
Date Time RA (2000) DEC (2000) delta radius elong phase PA magn
2025-10-15 00:00 UT 16 30 57.7 -35 10 04 14.949 14.345 51.2 3.1 110 30.9
2025-10-15 23:19 UT 16 31 12.9 -35 09 43 14.967 14.351 50.3 3.1 110 30.9
2025-10-16 00:00 UT 16 31 13.3 -35 09 42 14.967 14.351 50.3 3.1 110 30.9
2025-10-17 00:00 UT 16 31 29.2 -35 09 21 14.986 14.357 49.4 3.0 110 30.9
2025-10-18 00:00 UT 16 31 45.2 -35 09 01 15.004 14.363 48.5 3.0 111 30.9
2025-10-19 00:00 UT 16 32 01.5 -35 08 42 15.022 14.370 47.6 2.9 111 30.9
2025-10-20 00:00 UT 16 32 17.9 -35 08 24 15.040 14.376 46.7 2.9 111 30.9
2025-10-21 00:00 UT 16 32 34.5 -35 08 07 15.058 14.382 45.8 2.8 112 30.9
2025-10-22 00:00 UT 16 32 51.3 -35 07 51 15.075 14.388 44.9 2.8 112 30.9
2025-10-23 00:00 UT 16 33 08.3 -35 07 36 15.093 14.394 44.0 2.8 113 31.0
2025-10-24 00:00 UT 16 33 25.4 -35 07 22 15.110 14.400 43.1 2.7 113 31.0
2025-10-25 00:00 UT 16 33 42.7 -35 07 09 15.127 14.406 42.2 2.7 113 31.0
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.
