C/2020 T2 (Palomar)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	12 May 2021	10.9	2.174 AU	1.410 AU	13h41m	+29°36'	127.1°	21.7°	151°
Perihelion	10 Jul 2021	10.5	2.056 AU	1.659 AU	14h00m	+05°24'	97.6°	29.3°	113°
Today	8 Sep 2024	36.1	10.388 AU	9.546 AU	01h06m	-25°56'	145.0°	3.2°	300°

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 T2 (Palomar) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9926740
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.0563010
            i (Inclination)                 : 27.83780
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 83.05460
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 150.39680
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 56.37954
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 13.33704
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459406.10910
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 4702.51

            Epoch                           : 2024 Sep 06
            Reference                       : MPEC 2022-TD3

            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 (11.00 + 5 log[∆] + 8.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently -.25 + 5 log[∆] + 30.91 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
2024-09-08 00:00 UT   01 06 15.1   -25 55 58     9.546   10.388  145.0    3.2   300   36.1 
2024-09-08 01:29 UT   01 06 14.1   -25 56 08     9.546   10.388  145.0    3.2   300   36.1 
2024-09-09 00:00 UT   01 05 57.5   -25 58 41     9.548   10.394  145.5    3.1   302   36.1 
2024-09-10 00:00 UT   01 05 39.7   -26 01 22     9.551   10.401  146.0    3.1   303   36.1 
2024-09-11 00:00 UT   01 05 21.7   -26 04 01     9.554   10.408  146.4    3.1   305   36.1 
2024-09-12 00:00 UT   01 05 03.4   -26 06 37     9.557   10.414  146.8    3.0   307   36.1 
2024-09-13 00:00 UT   01 04 45.0   -26 09 11     9.560   10.421  147.2    3.0   309   36.1 
2024-09-14 00:00 UT   01 04 26.3   -26 11 43     9.564   10.428  147.6    3.0   311   36.1 
2024-09-15 00:00 UT   01 04 07.5   -26 14 12     9.568   10.434  147.9    2.9   312   36.1 
2024-09-16 00:00 UT   01 03 48.5   -26 16 38     9.572   10.441  148.3    2.9   314   36.1 
2024-09-17 00:00 UT   01 03 29.3   -26 19 02     9.577   10.448  148.5    2.9   316   36.2 
2024-09-18 00:00 UT   01 03 10.0   -26 21 24     9.582   10.454  148.8    2.9   318   36.2 

    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.