Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS)
Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) is in the constellation of
Serpens,
at a distance of
Finder Charts
View interactive star map
High precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS)?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) in the sky and additional links to sky charts.
Celestial Coordinates
Apparent
J2000
Additional Information
The observed values of Magnitude, Coma Diameter and Tail Length are derived from the most recent observation recorded at the Comet Observers Database. The value of Predicted Magnitude comes from the JPL Horizons ephemerides service and, in the case of comets, might be inaccurate given the highly dynamic and unpredictable behavior of these objects. When available, please refer to the Observed Magnitude value and consider the Predicted Magnitude as a directional indication. We acknowledge with thanks the comet observations from the COBS Comet Observation Database contributed by observers worldwide and used in this table to report recent comet observations.
Rise and Set Times
Today's rise, transit and set times of Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) is below the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Given its current magnitude, C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) is visible only through long exposure photography.
- Go to interactive sky chart
If you need to access this information frequently for your observations, you can create a simple customized Quick Access page, so that you can easily bookmark it in your browser favorites or add a shortcut to your mobile phones' home screen.
Distance from Earth
The distance of Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) from Earth as a function of time. In the chart the distance data is measured in Astronomical Units and sampled with an interval of 1 day.
The value of the reported distance might be somewhat inaccurate around the times of closest approach for objects passing extremely close to Earth. The value of the distance of C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Closest Approach
Between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2099, the closest approach of Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) to Earth happens on Mon Feb 6 2023 at a distance of 2.394273 Astronomical Units, or 358,178,192 kilometers:
NOTE: values for the closest approach are computed with a sampling interval of 1 day.
Light Curve
The following chart is the predicted light curve (visual magnitude as a function of time) of Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS), according to the most recent ephemerides data. Magnitude data is sampled with a 2 days interval and there might be inaccuracies for objects changing brightness very rapidly during the course of a few days. For comets there could be large discrepancies between the observed and predicted brightness because of their highly dynamic behaviour.
Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) at epoch 02 June 2022 00:00 UTC (JD: 2459733.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 1.00061396 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 20.57260658° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 3.36960472 AU 504,085,692 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q | n.a. |
| Semi-major axis | a | n.a. |
| Orbital period | period | n.a. |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2023-Feb-09 07:08:52 2,459,984.7978 JD |
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 21.002074395513° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 117.72112292624° |
| Mean anomaly | M | -0.00060915764061301° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.00000242°/day |
View Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) in the 3D Solar System Simulator
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) computed for the past and next 7 days, with a 24 hours interval. Apparent celestial coordinates are provided.
| Date | Right AscensionR.A. | DeclinationDec. | MagnitudeMag | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Jun 06 | 15h 54m 34s | +00° 27’ 09” | 20.51 | Serpens |
| 2025 Jun 07 | 15h 54m 14s | +00° 26’ 44” | 20.52 | Serpens |
| 2025 Jun 08 | 15h 53m 53s | +00° 26’ 16” | 20.52 | Serpens |
| 2025 Jun 09 | 15h 53m 33s | +00° 25’ 44” | 20.53 | Serpens |
| 2025 Jun 10 | 15h 53m 12s | +00° 25’ 09” | 20.53 | Serpens |
| 2025 Jun 11 | 15h 52m 52s | +00° 24’ 31” | 20.54 | Serpens |
| 2025 Jun 12 | 15h 52m 33s | +00° 23’ 50” | 20.55 | Serpens |
| 2025 Jun 13 | 15h 52m 13s | +00° 23’ 05” | 20.55 | Serpens |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 15h 51m 55s | +00° 22’ 18” | 20.56 | Serpens |
| 2025 Jun 15 | 15h 51m 36s | +00° 21’ 27” | 20.57 | Serpens |
| 2025 Jun 16 | 15h 51m 18s | +00° 20’ 34” | 20.57 | Serpens |
| 2025 Jun 17 | 15h 51m 00s | +00° 19’ 37” | 20.58 | Serpens |
| 2025 Jun 18 | 15h 50m 42s | +00° 18’ 37” | 20.59 | Serpens |
| 2025 Jun 19 | 15h 50m 24s | +00° 17’ 34” | 20.59 | Serpens |
Additional Resources on TheSkyLive
- Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS): Complete reference information on TheSkyLive.com.
- Where is Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS)?: Key information on locating Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) in the sky.
- Distance from Earth: Find out how far Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) is from Earth right now.
- How Bright is Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS)?: Current visual brightness (magnitude) and apparent size.
- Rise and Set Times: Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS)'s rise and set times from your location.
- Interactive Sky Map: planetarium-style interactive visualization of Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS)'s position in the sky.
- Live Position Tracker: high precision position tracker with deep space imagery.
- Ephemeris: 15 days Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS)'s computed ephemeris.
- Orbital elements: information about Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) orbital parameters.
- Orbit Visualization. 3d interactive visualization showing the orbit of Comet C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS) with respect to the major Solar System objects.