Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2)
Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) is in the constellation of
Indus,
at a distance of
View interactive star map
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 ZTF (C/2020 V2) from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
Today Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) is not visible from Greenwich, UK
- C/2020 V2 (ZTF) is below the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Given its current magnitude, C/2020 V2 (ZTF) is visible with the help of a telescope having an aperture of 20 inches (500mm) or more.
- 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.
Finder Charts
High 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.
Distance from Earth
The distance of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) from Earth is currently
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
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.
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.
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 |
Orbit Visualization
View Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) in the 3D Solar System Simulator
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. Apparent celestial coordinates are provided.
| Date | Right AscensionR.A. | DeclinationDec. | MagnitudeMag | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Sep 09 | 22h 30m 07s | -70° 39’ 20” | 15.41 | Indus |
| 2024 Sep 10 | 22h 27m 17s | -70° 40’ 56” | 15.42 | Indus |
| 2024 Sep 11 | 22h 24m 28s | -70° 42’ 12” | 15.44 | Indus |
| 2024 Sep 12 | 22h 21m 40s | -70° 43’ 06” | 15.45 | Indus |
| 2024 Sep 13 | 22h 18m 54s | -70° 43’ 41” | 15.46 | Indus |
| 2024 Sep 14 | 22h 16m 10s | -70° 43’ 55” | 15.47 | Indus |
| 2024 Sep 15 | 22h 13m 27s | -70° 43’ 50” | 15.48 | Indus |
| 2024 Sep 16 | 22h 10m 47s | -70° 43’ 27” | 15.49 | Indus |
| 2024 Sep 17 | 22h 08m 08s | -70° 42’ 44” | 15.50 | Indus |
| 2024 Sep 18 | 22h 05m 32s | -70° 41’ 44” | 15.51 | Indus |
| 2024 Sep 19 | 22h 02m 59s | -70° 40’ 26” | 15.52 | Indus |
| 2024 Sep 20 | 22h 00m 27s | -70° 38’ 50” | 15.54 | Indus |
| 2024 Sep 21 | 21h 57m 57s | -70° 36’ 58” | 15.55 | Indus |
| 2024 Sep 22 | 21h 55m 31s | -70° 34’ 51” | 15.56 | Indus |
Additional Resources
- Position and finder charts (see also Where is Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2)?)
- Distance from Earth (see also How far is Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) from Earth?)
- When does Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) rise and set?
- Brightness (see also How bright is Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2)?)
- Orbital elements. Detailed information about Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) orbital parameters.
- Interactive orbit visualization. 3d visualization showing the orbit of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) with respect to the major Solar System objects.
- 15 days ephemerides. Table showing celestial coordinates and magnitude of Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) for the past and next 7 days.
- Interactive sky chart. An online planetarium application that shows where to locate Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) in the sky from your location.
- Live position tracker. A high precision sky chart that uses real deep sky imagery to help locate Comet ZTF (C/2020 V2) with your telescope or on your astrophotographies.