C/2020 Q2 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	22 Jan 2020	21.9	5.415 AU	6.396 AU	20h00m	-18°00'	4.2°	0.8°	295°
Nearest approach	5 Aug 2020	21.2	5.508 AU	4.497 AU	21h14m	-13°00'	175.1°	0.9°	218°
Today	12 Jul 2026	25.7	11.078 AU	11.783 AU	04h16m	+18°29'	44.2°	3.7°	257°

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. (12.0 + 5 log[∆] + 8.0 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 Q2 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.4884120
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 5.4152350
    i (Inclination)                 : 3.33690
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 179.85770
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 118.04430
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 117.94236
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 2.94473
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458871.24000
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 34.44

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jul 11
    Reference                       : MPC194169

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-07-11 00:00 UT   04 15 41.9   +18 28 12    11.795   11.075   43.1    3.6   257   25.7 
2026-07-12 00:00 UT   04 16 02.1   +18 28 51    11.786   11.077   44.0    3.7   257   25.7 
2026-07-12 07:04 UT   04 16 08.0   +18 29 02    11.783   11.078   44.2    3.7   257   25.7 
2026-07-13 00:00 UT   04 16 22.0   +18 29 28    11.777   11.080   44.9    3.7   257   25.7 
2026-07-14 00:00 UT   04 16 41.7   +18 30 06    11.768   11.082   45.7    3.8   257   25.7 
2026-07-15 00:00 UT   04 17 01.2   +18 30 42    11.758   11.085   46.6    3.8   257   25.7 
2026-07-16 00:00 UT   04 17 20.5   +18 31 17    11.749   11.087   47.5    3.9   258   25.7 
2026-07-17 00:00 UT   04 17 39.6   +18 31 52    11.739   11.090   48.4    3.9   258   25.7 
2026-07-18 00:00 UT   04 17 58.4   +18 32 25    11.729   11.092   49.2    4.0   258   25.7 
2026-07-19 00:00 UT   04 18 17.0   +18 32 58    11.719   11.095   50.1    4.0   258   25.7 
2026-07-20 00:00 UT   04 18 35.4   +18 33 30    11.708   11.097   51.0    4.1   258   25.7 
2026-07-21 00:00 UT   04 18 53.5   +18 34 01    11.698   11.099   51.9    4.1   258   25.7 
2026-07-22 00:00 UT   04 19 11.4   +18 34 31    11.687   11.102   52.8    4.2   258   25.7 

    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.