C/2020 T2 (Palomar)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	12 May 2021	10.9	2.169 AU	1.408 AU	13h39m	+29°52'	126.8°	21.9°	151°
Perihelion	10 Jul 2021	10.5	2.050 AU	1.655 AU	14h00m	+05°31'	97.3°	29.5°	113°
Today	13 Dec 2025	40.0	13.318 AU	13.084 AU	01h03m	-23°04'	101.6°	4.2°	58°

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 -.2 + 5 log[∆] + 30.8 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 T2 (Palomar) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9922680
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.0499660
    i (Inclination)                 : 27.84160
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 83.01680
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 150.32280
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 56.27342
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 13.36962
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459406.12870
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 4317.00

    Epoch                           : 2025 Dec 13
    Reference                       : MPEC 2022-TD3

    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
2025-12-12 00:00 UT   01 03 43.4   -23 08 20    13.045   13.306  103.3    4.1    57   40.0 
2025-12-13 00:00 UT   01 03 38.1   -23 06 33    13.066   13.312  102.4    4.1    58   40.0 
2025-12-13 21:30 UT   01 03 33.6   -23 04 55    13.084   13.318  101.6    4.2    58   40.0 
2025-12-14 00:00 UT   01 03 33.1   -23 04 44    13.087   13.318  101.5    4.2    58   40.0 
2025-12-15 00:00 UT   01 03 28.5   -23 02 52    13.108   13.324  100.6    4.2    59   40.0 
2025-12-16 00:00 UT   01 03 24.1   -23 00 59    13.129   13.330   99.7    4.2    59   40.0 
2025-12-17 00:00 UT   01 03 20.0   -22 59 03    13.150   13.337   98.8    4.2    60   40.0 
2025-12-18 00:00 UT   01 03 16.3   -22 57 06    13.171   13.343   97.9    4.2    60   40.0 
2025-12-19 00:00 UT   01 03 12.9   -22 55 06    13.192   13.349   97.0    4.2    61   40.0 
2025-12-20 00:00 UT   01 03 09.8   -22 53 05    13.213   13.355   96.1    4.2    61   40.1 
2025-12-21 00:00 UT   01 03 06.9   -22 51 02    13.235   13.361   95.2    4.2    62   40.1 
2025-12-22 00:00 UT   01 03 04.5   -22 48 57    13.256   13.367   94.3    4.2    62   40.1 
2025-12-23 00:00 UT   01 03 02.3   -22 46 50    13.277   13.373   93.4    4.2    63   40.1 

    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.