C/2020 Q2 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	22 Jan 2020	21.9	5.413 AU	6.395 AU	20h00m	-18°01'	3.9°	0.7°	299°
Nearest approach	5 Aug 2020	21.2	5.507 AU	4.496 AU	21h14m	-13°00'	175.1°	0.9°	218°
Today	8 Nov 2026	25.5	11.367 AU	10.433 AU	04h19m	+18°05'	159.7°	1.7°	269°

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)                : 0.4883810
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 5.4134440
    i (Inclination)                 : 3.33720
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 179.86680
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 117.99620
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 117.90332
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 2.94631
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458870.76260
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 34.42

    Epoch                           : 2026 Nov 08
    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
2026-11-07 00:00 UT   04 19 55.7   +18 07 17    10.439   11.363  157.7    1.9   268   25.5 
2026-11-08 00:00 UT   04 19 39.4   +18 06 29    10.435   11.365  158.8    1.8   269   25.5 
2026-11-08 20:03 UT   04 19 25.7   +18 05 48    10.433   11.367  159.7    1.7   269   25.5 
2026-11-09 00:00 UT   04 19 22.9   +18 05 40    10.432   11.367  159.8    1.7   269   25.5 
2026-11-10 00:00 UT   04 19 06.3   +18 04 51    10.429   11.370  160.9    1.6   270   25.5 
2026-11-11 00:00 UT   04 18 49.5   +18 04 02    10.426   11.372  161.9    1.5   270   25.5 
2026-11-12 00:00 UT   04 18 32.6   +18 03 13    10.424   11.374  163.0    1.5   271   25.5 
2026-11-13 00:00 UT   04 18 15.5   +18 02 23    10.422   11.377  164.1    1.4   272   25.5 
2026-11-14 00:00 UT   04 17 58.4   +18 01 34    10.420   11.379  165.1    1.3   273   25.5 
2026-11-15 00:00 UT   04 17 41.1   +18 00 45    10.418   11.382  166.2    1.2   274   25.5 
2026-11-16 00:00 UT   04 17 23.7   +17 59 55    10.417   11.384  167.2    1.1   275   25.5 
2026-11-17 00:00 UT   04 17 06.3   +17 59 06    10.416   11.386  168.2    1.0   276   25.5 
2026-11-18 00:00 UT   04 16 48.7   +17 58 17    10.416   11.389  169.3    0.9   278   25.5 

    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.