C/2020 F5 (MASTER)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	15 Mar 2021	15.2	4.323 AU	4.994 AU	22h37m	-42°44'	43.2°	9.1°	204°
Nearest approach	22 Aug 2021	14.7	4.513 AU	3.585 AU	23h14m	-32°47'	153.6°	5.7°	319°
Today	21 Apr 2026	22.2	13.429 AU	14.153 AU	01h05m	+53°03'	42.4°	2.9°	342°

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 5.7 + 5 log[∆] + 9.6 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 F5 (MASTER) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9732130
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.3233940
    i (Inclination)                 : 52.24700
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 350.57400
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 310.55160
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 314.98812
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -36.92421
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459289.27000
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 2050.46

    Epoch                           : 2026 Apr 20
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

    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
2026-04-20 00:00 UT   01 04 54.7   +52 59 42    14.143   13.422   42.6    2.9   344   22.2 
2026-04-21 00:00 UT   01 05 22.4   +53 02 15    14.151   13.427   42.5    2.9   342   22.2 
2026-04-21 08:41 UT   01 05 32.5   +53 03 11    14.153   13.429   42.4    2.9   342   22.2 
2026-04-22 00:00 UT   01 05 50.1   +53 04 50    14.158   13.433   42.4    2.9   341   22.2 
2026-04-23 00:00 UT   01 06 17.7   +53 07 27    14.165   13.438   42.2    2.9   340   22.2 
2026-04-24 00:00 UT   01 06 45.2   +53 10 06    14.172   13.443   42.1    2.9   339   22.2 
2026-04-25 00:00 UT   01 07 12.7   +53 12 47    14.179   13.449   42.0    2.9   337   22.2 
2026-04-26 00:00 UT   01 07 40.0   +53 15 30    14.185   13.454   42.0    2.9   336   22.2 
2026-04-27 00:00 UT   01 08 07.3   +53 18 16    14.191   13.459   41.9    2.9   335   22.2 
2026-04-28 00:00 UT   01 08 34.4   +53 21 03    14.197   13.465   41.8    2.9   333   22.2 
2026-04-29 00:00 UT   01 09 01.5   +53 23 52    14.203   13.470   41.8    2.9   332   22.2 
2026-04-30 00:00 UT   01 09 28.4   +53 26 43    14.209   13.475   41.8    2.9   331   22.2 
2026-05-01 00:00 UT   01 09 55.2   +53 29 37    14.214   13.481   41.8    2.9   330   22.2 

    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.