Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2)
Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) is currently in the constellation of Phoenix, at a distance of 709,887,800 kilometers from Earth.
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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.
Today's rise, transit and set times of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) from Greenwich, United Kingdom (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- C/2020 V2 (ZTF) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom .
- Given its current magnitude, C/2020 V2 (ZTF) is visible with the help of a telescope having an aperture of 10 inches (250mm) or more.
- Go to interactive sky chart
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Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) Position and Finder Charts
Field of view: 10x6 degrees
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Higher precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2)?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) in the sky and additional links to sky charts.
Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) Distance from Earth
The distance of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) from Earth is currently 709,887,800 kilometers, equivalent to 4.745307 Astronomical Units. Light takes 39 minutes and 27.9308 seconds to travel from Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) and arrive to us.
The following chart shows the distance of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) 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 V2 (ZTF) from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Closest Approach of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) to Earth
Between 1 January 2013 and 30 December 2100, the closest approach of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) to Earth happens on Sun Sep 17 2023 at a distance of 1.854734 Astronomical Units, or 277,464,187 kilometers:
NOTE: values for the closest approach are computed with a sampling interval of 1 day.
Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) Brightness and Light Curve
The following chart is the predicted light curve (visual magnitude as a function of time) of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2), 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.
Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) at epoch 28 January 2022 00:00 UTC (JD: 2459608.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 1.00119023 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 131.60883991° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 2.22828584 AU 333,346,818 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q | n.a. |
| Semi-major axis | a | n.a. |
| Orbital period | period | n.a. |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2023-May-08 11:57:16 2,460,072.9981 JD |
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 162.40096844621° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 212.36136909064° |
| Mean anomaly | M | -0.0056516715729318° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.00001217°/day |
Visualization of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) Orbit
This 3d orbit diagram is a feature of our 3D Solar System Simulator and shows the orbit of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) with respect of the Sun and the orbits of the major planets. The position of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) and the planets along their orbits in this diagram accurately represents the current configuration of the objects in the Solar System. This is an experimental feature and it requires a WebGL enabled browser. Please provide us feedback!
View Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) in the 3D Solar System Simulator
Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) 15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) computed for the past and next 7 days, with a 24 hours interval. Click on each row of the table to locate Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) in our Online Planetarium at the chosen date.
| Date | Right AscensionR.A. | DeclinationDec. | MagnitudeMag | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Apr 20 | 00h 18m 20s | -42° 03’ 15” | 14.71 | Phoenix |
| 2024 Apr 21 | 00h 18m 57s | -42° 09’ 51” | 14.71 | Phoenix |
| 2024 Apr 22 | 00h 19m 33s | -42° 16’ 36” | 14.71 | Phoenix |
| 2024 Apr 23 | 00h 20m 11s | -42° 23’ 30” | 14.72 | Phoenix |
| 2024 Apr 24 | 00h 20m 47s | -42° 30’ 33” | 14.72 | Phoenix |
| 2024 Apr 25 | 00h 21m 23s | -42° 37’ 45” | 14.72 | Phoenix |
| 2024 Apr 26 | 00h 21m 57s | -42° 45’ 06” | 14.73 | Phoenix |
| 2024 Apr 27 | 00h 22m 33s | -42° 52’ 36” | 14.73 | Phoenix |
| 2024 Apr 28 | 00h 23m 08s | -43° 00’ 18” | 14.73 | Phoenix |
| 2024 Apr 29 | 00h 23m 43s | -43° 08’ 08” | 14.73 | Phoenix |
| 2024 Apr 30 | 00h 24m 16s | -43° 16’ 06” | 14.74 | Phoenix |
| 2024 May 01 | 00h 24m 51s | -43° 24’ 16” | 14.74 | Phoenix |
| 2024 May 02 | 00h 25m 24s | -43° 32’ 35” | 14.74 | Phoenix |
| 2024 May 03 | 00h 25m 58s | -43° 41’ 03” | 14.75 | Phoenix |