C/2020 PV6 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	19 Jul 2021	14.6	2.409 AU	1.666 AU	19h15m	+32°17'	126.1°	19.9°	169°
Perihelion	24 Sep 2021	14.9	2.291 AU	2.542 AU	16h13m	+21°49'	64.2°	23.2°	78°
Today	6 Aug 2026	38.1	13.517 AU	14.470 AU	08h37m	-01°14'	19.1°	1.4°	199°

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 3.8 + 5 log[∆] + 25.2 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 PV6 (PANSTARRS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9445730
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.2910930
    i (Inclination)                 : 128.12540
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 329.11250
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 71.24080
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 267.92841
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 48.14817
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459482.48730
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 265.76

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jul 19
    Reference                       : MPC194169

    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
2026-08-05 00:00 UT   08 37 08.5   -01 12 31    14.465   13.511   19.1    1.4   196   38.1 
2026-08-06 00:00 UT   08 37 21.9   -01 13 59    14.470   13.516   19.1    1.4   199   38.1 
2026-08-06 01:52 UT   08 37 22.9   -01 14 06    14.470   13.517   19.1    1.4   199   38.1 
2026-08-07 00:00 UT   08 37 35.2   -01 15 29    14.475   13.522   19.2    1.4   202   38.1 
2026-08-08 00:00 UT   08 37 48.4   -01 17 01    14.479   13.527   19.3    1.4   204   38.1 
2026-08-09 00:00 UT   08 38 01.6   -01 18 33    14.484   13.532   19.5    1.4   207   38.2 
2026-08-10 00:00 UT   08 38 14.8   -01 20 06    14.488   13.538   19.7    1.4   210   38.2 
2026-08-11 00:00 UT   08 38 27.9   -01 21 41    14.491   13.543   19.9    1.5   212   38.2 
2026-08-12 00:00 UT   08 38 41.0   -01 23 17    14.495   13.549   20.2    1.5   215   38.2 
2026-08-13 00:00 UT   08 38 54.0   -01 24 54    14.498   13.554   20.5    1.5   217   38.2 
2026-08-14 00:00 UT   08 39 06.9   -01 26 32    14.501   13.560   20.8    1.5   219   38.2 
2026-08-15 00:00 UT   08 39 19.8   -01 28 11    14.504   13.565   21.2    1.5   222   38.2 
2026-08-16 00:00 UT   08 39 32.6   -01 29 51    14.506   13.570   21.6    1.6   224   38.2 

    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.