C/2012 X1 (LINEAR)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	15 Feb 2014	8.3	1.609 AU	2.099 AU	18h51m	+00°38'	47.7°	27.0°	288°
Nearest approach	28 Jun 2014	9.2	2.354 AU	1.626 AU	22h39m	-31°03'	124.3°	20.9°	262°
Today	16 Jul 2026	25.1	28.029 AU	28.316 AU	03h46m	-23°09'	72.6°	2.0°	237°

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. The light curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from an MPEC, or the latest values provided by the minor planet center. (4.8 + 5 log[∆] + 9.0 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/2012 X1 (LINEAR) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9898340
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.6092450
    i (Inclination)                 : 44.26850
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 113.47660
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 131.98290
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 74.96519
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 31.25652
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2456704.42920
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 1991.63

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jul 15
    Reference                       : MPC194130

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-07-15 00:00 UT   03 45 59.7   -23 08 13    28.326   28.023   71.6    2.0   236   25.1 
2026-07-16 00:00 UT   03 46 05.3   -23 09 06    28.319   28.027   72.3    2.0   236   25.1 
2026-07-16 08:51 UT   03 46 07.3   -23 09 26    28.316   28.029   72.6    2.0   237   25.1 
2026-07-17 00:00 UT   03 46 10.7   -23 09 60    28.312   28.032   73.0    2.0   237   25.1 
2026-07-18 00:00 UT   03 46 16.0   -23 10 55    28.304   28.036   73.7    2.0   238   25.1 
2026-07-19 00:00 UT   03 46 21.2   -23 11 51    28.297   28.040   74.3    2.0   238   25.1 
2026-07-20 00:00 UT   03 46 26.2   -23 12 48    28.289   28.044   75.0    2.0   239   25.1 
2026-07-21 00:00 UT   03 46 31.2   -23 13 46    28.282   28.049   75.7    2.0   240   25.1 
2026-07-22 00:00 UT   03 46 36.0   -23 14 45    28.274   28.053   76.4    2.0   240   25.1 
2026-07-23 00:00 UT   03 46 40.7   -23 15 46    28.266   28.057   77.1    2.0   241   25.1 
2026-07-24 00:00 UT   03 46 45.2   -23 16 47    28.258   28.061   77.8    2.0   242   25.1 
2026-07-25 00:00 UT   03 46 49.7   -23 17 49    28.251   28.066   78.5    2.0   242   25.1 
2026-07-26 00:00 UT   03 46 54.0   -23 18 52    28.243   28.070   79.1    2.0   243   25.1 

    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.