C/2020 PV6 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	19 Jul 2021	14.6	2.409 AU	1.666 AU	19h16m	+32°16'	126.1°	19.9°	169°
Perihelion	25 Sep 2021	14.9	2.291 AU	2.543 AU	16h13m	+21°47'	64.1°	23.2°	78°
Today	11 Jun 2026	37.8	13.211 AU	13.814 AU	08h25m	-00°27'	51.8°	3.5°	120°

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 3.8 + 5 log[∆] + 25.3 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 PV6 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9446150
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.2909230
    i (Inclination)                 : 128.12660
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 329.11330
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 71.24230
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 267.92648
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 48.14769
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459482.59350
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 266.03

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jun 10
    Reference                       : MPC194169

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-06-10 00:00 UT   08 25 35.3   +00 27 47    13.795   13.205   52.7    3.5   120   37.8 
2026-06-11 00:00 UT   08 25 44.9   +00 27 51    13.813   13.211   51.9    3.5   120   37.8 
2026-06-11 01:33 UT   08 25 45.5   +00 27 52    13.814   13.211   51.8    3.5   120   37.8 
2026-06-12 00:00 UT   08 25 54.6   +00 27 57    13.831   13.216   51.0    3.4   121   37.8 
2026-06-13 00:00 UT   08 26 04.5   +00 28 04    13.848   13.222   50.2    3.4   121   37.8 
2026-06-14 00:00 UT   08 26 14.6   +00 28 14    13.865   13.227   49.4    3.3   122   37.8 
2026-06-15 00:00 UT   08 26 24.8   +00 28 24    13.883   13.233   48.6    3.3   122   37.8 
2026-06-16 00:00 UT   08 26 35.1   +00 28 37    13.899   13.238   47.7    3.3   123   37.8 
2026-06-17 00:00 UT   08 26 45.7   +00 28 51    13.916   13.244   46.9    3.2   123   37.8 
2026-06-18 00:00 UT   08 26 56.3   +00 29 07    13.933   13.249   46.1    3.2   124   37.9 
2026-06-19 00:00 UT   08 27 07.1   +00 29 25    13.949   13.255   45.3    3.1   125   37.9 
2026-06-20 00:00 UT   08 27 18.1   +00 29 44    13.965   13.260   44.5    3.1   125   37.9 
2026-06-21 00:00 UT   08 27 29.2   +00 30 05    13.981   13.266   43.7    3.0   126   37.9 

    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.