C/2020 PV6 (PANSTARRS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	19 Jul 2021	14.6	2.411 AU	1.666 AU	19h16m	+32°07'	126.3°	19.9°	169°
Perihelion	25 Sep 2021	14.9	2.291 AU	2.550 AU	16h13m	+21°37'	63.8°	23.1°	77°
Today	31 Aug 2025	36.3	11.609 AU	12.505 AU	08h58m	+00°35'	26.3°	2.2°	252°

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 PV6 (PANSTARRS) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9449480
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.2908580
            i (Inclination)                 : 128.14880
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 329.12570
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 71.27300
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 267.88437
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 48.13986
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459483.23390
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 268.43

            Epoch                           : 2025 Aug 29
            Reference                       : MPEC 2022-PB4

            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 (10.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 3.75 + 5 log[∆] + 25.37 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
2025-08-31 00:00 UT   08 58 46.2   +00 37 02    12.505   11.604   25.7    2.2   251   36.2 
2025-08-31 19:07 UT   08 58 56.5   +00 35 16    12.505   11.609   26.3    2.2   252   36.3 
2025-09-01 00:00 UT   08 58 59.2   +00 34 49    12.505   11.610   26.4    2.2   252   36.3 
2025-09-02 00:00 UT   08 59 12.0   +00 32 36    12.504   11.616   27.2    2.3   253   36.3 
2025-09-03 00:00 UT   08 59 24.7   +00 30 22    12.503   11.622   27.9    2.3   254   36.3 
2025-09-04 00:00 UT   08 59 37.3   +00 28 07    12.502   11.628   28.7    2.4   256   36.3 
2025-09-05 00:00 UT   08 59 49.7   +00 25 52    12.501   11.633   29.4    2.4   257   36.3 
2025-09-06 00:00 UT   09 00 02.0   +00 23 36    12.499   11.639   30.2    2.5   258   36.3 
2025-09-07 00:00 UT   09 00 14.1   +00 21 20    12.497   11.645   31.0    2.6   259   36.3 
2025-09-08 00:00 UT   09 00 26.1   +00 19 03    12.495   11.651   31.7    2.6   259   36.3 
2025-09-09 00:00 UT   09 00 37.9   +00 16 46    12.493   11.657   32.5    2.7   260   36.3 
2025-09-10 00:00 UT   09 00 49.6   +00 14 28    12.490   11.662   33.3    2.7   261   36.3 

    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.