C/2020 PV6 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	19 Jul 2021	14.6	2.410 AU	1.666 AU	19h16m	+32°08'	126.2°	19.9°	169°
Perihelion	25 Sep 2021	14.9	2.291 AU	2.549 AU	16h13m	+21°38'	63.8°	23.1°	78°
Today	2 Oct 2025	36.4	11.795 AU	12.374 AU	09h04m	-00°39'	52.7°	3.9°	274°

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.)

The orbital elements of C/2020 PV6 (PANSTARRS) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9449090
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.2907800
            i (Inclination)                 : 128.14540
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 329.12400
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 71.26820
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 267.89115
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 48.14102
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459483.17530
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 268.14

            Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 01
            Reference                       : MPEC 2022-PB4

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

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC. The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (10.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 3.76 + 5 log[∆] + 25.36 log[r]).

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.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.

The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.

A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Ephemerides:

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-10-02 00:00 UT   09 04 16.3   +00 37 21    12.380   11.790   52.0    3.8   274   36.4 
2025-10-02 20:51 UT   09 04 22.2   +00 39 25    12.374   11.795   52.7    3.9   274   36.4 
2025-10-03 00:00 UT   09 04 23.1   +00 39 44    12.373   11.796   52.9    3.9   274   36.4 
2025-10-04 00:00 UT   09 04 29.6   +00 42 06    12.366   11.802   53.7    3.9   275   36.4 
2025-10-05 00:00 UT   09 04 35.9   +00 44 28    12.358   11.808   54.6    4.0   275   36.4 
2025-10-06 00:00 UT   09 04 41.9   +00 46 50    12.350   11.813   55.5    4.0   276   36.4 
2025-10-07 00:00 UT   09 04 47.7   +00 49 11    12.342   11.819   56.4    4.0   276   36.4 
2025-10-08 00:00 UT   09 04 53.2   +00 51 33    12.334   11.825   57.3    4.1   276   36.4 
2025-10-09 00:00 UT   09 04 58.4   +00 53 54    12.326   11.831   58.2    4.1   277   36.4 
2025-10-10 00:00 UT   09 05 03.4   +00 56 15    12.318   11.837   59.1    4.2   277   36.4 
2025-10-11 00:00 UT   09 05 08.1   +00 58 35    12.309   11.842   60.0    4.2   277   36.4 
2025-10-12 00:00 UT   09 05 12.5   -01 00 55    12.300   11.848   60.9    4.2   278   36.4 

    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.