C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	16 Nov 2013	5.5	1.013 AU	0.465 AU	11h32m	+38°04'	79.5°	73.7°	304°
Perihelion	18 Dec 2013	5.7	0.821 AU	0.927 AU	16h47m	+25°18'	50.8°	68.2°	342°
Today	23 Jan 2026	35.6	28.619 AU	29.283 AU	18h54m	-63°53'	46.8°	1.4°	209°

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. This lightcurve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 7.1 + 5 log[∆] + 14.5 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/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9980730
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.8211360
    i (Inclination)                 : 63.96980
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 70.69710
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 67.28580
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 117.04962
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 55.98309
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2456645.39410
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 8796.30

    Epoch                           : 2021 Feb 13
    Reference                       : MPEC 2021-BE3

    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
2026-01-22 00:00 UT   18 54 11.3   -63 52 32    29.285   28.612   46.2    1.4   207   35.6 
2026-01-23 00:00 UT   18 54 29.4   -63 52 55    29.284   28.617   46.6    1.4   208   35.6 
2026-01-23 12:27 UT   18 54 38.7   -63 53 07    29.283   28.619   46.8    1.4   209   35.6 
2026-01-24 00:00 UT   18 54 47.3   -63 53 19    29.283   28.621   47.0    1.4   209   35.6 
2026-01-25 00:00 UT   18 55 05.1   -63 53 45    29.281   28.626   47.5    1.5   210   35.6 
2026-01-26 00:00 UT   18 55 22.8   -63 54 12    29.280   28.630   47.9    1.5   211   35.6 
2026-01-27 00:00 UT   18 55 40.4   -63 54 40    29.278   28.635   48.4    1.5   213   35.6 
2026-01-28 00:00 UT   18 55 57.9   -63 55 09    29.276   28.639   48.9    1.5   214   35.6 
2026-01-29 00:00 UT   18 56 15.2   -63 55 40    29.274   28.643   49.4    1.5   215   35.6 
2026-01-30 00:00 UT   18 56 32.5   -63 56 11    29.271   28.648   49.9    1.5   216   35.6 
2026-01-31 00:00 UT   18 56 49.5   -63 56 44    29.269   28.652   50.4    1.5   217   35.6 
2026-02-01 00:00 UT   18 57 06.5   -63 57 18    29.266   28.657   51.0    1.5   218   35.6 
2026-02-02 00:00 UT   18 57 23.3   -63 57 54    29.263   28.661   51.5    1.5   219   35.6 

    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.