A/2019 O2
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	5 Apr 2023	19.5	9.680 AU	9.208 AU	16h34m	+32°52'	115.4°	5.4°	243°
Nearest approach	16 May 2023	19.5	9.682 AU	9.046 AU	16h14m	+33°22'	126.6°	4.8°	193°
Today	8 Jan 2026	20.2	10.910 AU	11.439 AU	15h31m	-10°01'	55.4°	4.3°	290°

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 displayed light curve is calculated under the assumption that the object remains inactive. (H=9.35; G=.15).

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 A/2019 O2 are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.8354650
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 9.6802240
    i (Inclination)                 : 93.28810
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 48.26540
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 129.56470
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 52.23646
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 50.32128
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460040.42830
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 451.27

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jan 07
    Reference                       : MPC185656

    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
2026-01-07 00:00 UT   15 31 26.3   -09 58 35    11.458   10.907   53.8    4.2   291   20.2 
2026-01-08 00:00 UT   15 31 36.5   -10 00 35    11.446   10.909   54.8    4.2   290   20.2 
2026-01-08 15:13 UT   15 31 42.8   -10 01 51    11.439   10.910   55.4    4.3   290   20.2 
2026-01-09 00:00 UT   15 31 46.4   -10 02 34    11.434   10.911   55.7    4.3   290   20.2 
2026-01-10 00:00 UT   15 31 56.1   -10 04 32    11.422   10.913   56.7    4.3   290   20.2 
2026-01-11 00:00 UT   15 32 05.4   -10 06 28    11.410   10.916   57.6    4.4   290   20.2 
2026-01-12 00:00 UT   15 32 14.5   -10 08 23    11.398   10.918   58.6    4.4   289   20.2 
2026-01-13 00:00 UT   15 32 23.4   -10 10 17    11.385   10.920   59.5    4.5   289   20.2 
2026-01-14 00:00 UT   15 32 31.9   -10 12 09    11.373   10.922   60.5    4.5   289   20.2 
2026-01-15 00:00 UT   15 32 40.2   -10 14 00    11.360   10.925   61.5    4.5   289   20.2 
2026-01-16 00:00 UT   15 32 48.1   -10 15 50    11.347   10.927   62.4    4.6   288   20.2 
2026-01-17 00:00 UT   15 32 55.8   -10 17 38    11.334   10.929   63.4    4.6   288   20.2 
2026-01-18 00:00 UT   15 33 03.1   -10 19 25    11.321   10.931   64.4    4.7   288   20.2 

    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.