C/2020 V2 (ZTF)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	8 May 2023	10.4	2.230 AU	3.220 AU	02h39m	+24°58'	9.2°	4.2°	329°
Nearest approach	17 Sep 2023	9.9	2.685 AU	1.856 AU	02h11m	-23°05'	137.5°	14.6°	294°
Today	28 Oct 2025	17.5	8.614 AU	8.893 AU	18h54m	-68°21'	70.6°	6.2°	103°

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 5.0 + 5 log[∆] + 8.3 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 V2 (ZTF) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0011480
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.2296690
    i (Inclination)                 : 131.61060
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 212.41270
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 162.47700
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 224.25447
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 13.00973
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460073.06540

    Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 28
    Reference                       : MPC188409

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-10-27 00:00 UT   18 54 23.9   -68 30 22     8.858    8.600   71.8    6.3   102   17.5 
2025-10-28 00:00 UT   18 54 37.4   -68 25 31     8.877    8.607   71.1    6.3   103   17.5 
2025-10-28 20:44 UT   18 54 49.8   -68 21 22     8.893    8.614   70.6    6.2   103   17.5 
2025-10-29 00:00 UT   18 54 51.9   -68 20 43     8.895    8.615   70.5    6.2   103   17.5 
2025-10-30 00:00 UT   18 55 07.4   -68 15 57     8.913    8.622   69.8    6.2   104   17.5 
2025-10-31 00:00 UT   18 55 23.8   -68 11 14     8.931    8.629   69.2    6.2   105   17.5 
2025-11-01 00:00 UT   18 55 41.2   -68 06 34     8.949    8.636   68.5    6.1   105   17.5 
2025-11-02 00:00 UT   18 55 59.5   -68 01 56     8.967    8.643   67.9    6.1   106   17.5 
2025-11-03 00:00 UT   18 56 18.6   -67 57 21     8.985    8.650   67.3    6.1   107   17.6 
2025-11-04 00:00 UT   18 56 38.7   -67 52 49     9.003    8.657   66.6    6.0   108   17.6 
2025-11-05 00:00 UT   18 56 59.6   -67 48 19     9.020    8.664   66.0    6.0   108   17.6 
2025-11-06 00:00 UT   18 57 21.3   -67 43 53     9.038    8.672   65.4    6.0   109   17.6 
2025-11-07 00:00 UT   18 57 43.8   -67 39 29     9.055    8.679   64.7    5.9   110   17.6 

    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.