Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2)
Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) is currently in the constellation of Ursa Major. The current Right Ascension of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) is 10h 03m 53s and the Declination is +59° 24’ 19” (topocentric coordinates computed for the selected location: Greenwich, United Kingdom [change]). The current estimated magnitude of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) is 14.29 (JPL).
Summary of key facts about Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) [tip: you can also create a Quick Access page for this data if you access it frequently and would like to have a simpler view]:
- C/2020 V2 (ZTF) is above the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change].
- It is visible looking in the North-East direction at an altitude of 61° above the horizon.
- Given its current magnitude, C/2020 V2 (ZTF) is visible with the help of a telescope havng an aperture of 14 inches (350mm) or more.
- See also C/2020 V2 (ZTF) rise and set times.
- 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.
Additional information about Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) available on TheSkyLive:
Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) Position and Finder Charts
Below we provide Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) finder charts showing where the object is right now in the sky with respect to the brightest stars. The first finder chart has a field of view of 50 degrees, while the second one has a field of view of 10 degrees. Click on each finder chart to access a full screen interactive Online Planetarium.
Field of view: 50x30 degrees
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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 676,342,016 kilometers, equivalent to 4.521067 Astronomical Units. Light takes 37 minutes and 36.0341 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 January 2013 and December 2100, the closest approach of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) to Earth happens on Sun Sep 17 2023 at a distance of 1.854764 Astronomical Units, or 277,468,738 kilometers:
NOTE: values for the closest approach are computed with a sampling interval of 1 day.
Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) brightness
The current visual magnitude of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) is 14.29.
The observed magnitude and coma diameter values are derived from the Comet Observers Database by averaging the values reported in recent observations (more recent than 4 days), when available. The Estimated Magnitude comes from the JPL Horizons ephemerides service and might be inaccurate given the highly dynamic and unpredictable behavior of comets. When available, please refer to the Observed Magnitude value and consider the Estimated 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.
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) rise and set times
Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom [change]
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) is circumpolar and transits at 18:06 UTC (altitude: 82.1°)
The rise and set times are defined as the time at which the upper limb of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) touches the horizon, considering the effect of the atmospheric refraction. As the atmospheric conditions cannot be modeled precisely the times reported here should be considered correct with an approximation of few minutes.
Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) at epoch 25 July 2021 00:00 UTC (JD: 2459421.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 1.00138178 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 131.60223849° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 2.22823890 AU 333,339,796 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 10:07:28 2,460,072.9219 JD |
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 162.3854251276° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 212.34785556066° |
| Mean anomaly | M | -0.0099147396211985° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.00001522°/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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 May 14 | 10h 11m 12s | +60° 06’ 27” | 14.32 | Ursa Major |
| 2022 May 15 | 10h 10m 06s | +60° 01’ 09” | 14.31 | Ursa Major |
| 2022 May 16 | 10h 09m 05s | +59° 55’ 47” | 14.31 | Ursa Major |
| 2022 May 17 | 10h 08m 03s | +59° 50’ 21” | 14.31 | Ursa Major |
| 2022 May 18 | 10h 07m 05s | +59° 44’ 49” | 14.30 | Ursa Major |
| 2022 May 19 | 10h 06m 10s | +59° 39’ 14” | 14.30 | Ursa Major |
| 2022 May 20 | 10h 05m 16s | +59° 33’ 33” | 14.30 | Ursa Major |
| 2022 May 21 | 10h 04m 23s | +59° 27’ 51” | 14.29 | Ursa Major |
| 2022 May 22 | 10h 03m 33s | +59° 22’ 04” | 14.29 | Ursa Major |
| 2022 May 23 | 10h 02m 45s | +59° 16’ 14” | 14.28 | Ursa Major |
| 2022 May 24 | 10h 01m 59s | +59° 10’ 20” | 14.28 | Ursa Major |
| 2022 May 25 | 10h 01m 14s | +59° 04’ 24” | 14.27 | Ursa Major |
| 2022 May 26 | 10h 00m 33s | +58° 58’ 27” | 14.27 | Ursa Major |
| 2022 May 27 | 09h 59m 53s | +58° 52’ 27” | 14.27 | Ursa Major |