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A/2019 O2
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Perihelion5 Apr 202319.59.680 AU9.208 AU 16h34m+32°53'115.4°5.4°243°
Nearest approach16 May 202319.59.682 AU9.045 AU 16h14m+33°23'126.6°4.8°193°
Today21 Sep 202620.411.533 AU12.205 AU 14h49m-15°33'46.2°3.6°106°
A/2019 O2- 2026-09-21
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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)                : 0.8355440
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 9.6797430
    i (Inclination)                 : 93.26930
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 48.26710
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 129.55800
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 52.21649
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 50.32925
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460040.32430
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 451.57

    Epoch                           : 2026 Sep 21
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-M30

    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
2026-09-20 00:00 UT   14 49 31.1   -15 28 60    12.177   11.528   47.9    3.7   106   20.4 
2026-09-21 00:00 UT   14 49 41.8   -15 31 42    12.192   11.531   47.0    3.7   106   20.4 
2026-09-21 20:24 UT   14 49 51.2   -15 33 60    12.205   11.533   46.2    3.6   106   20.4 
2026-09-22 00:00 UT   14 49 52.8   -15 34 24    12.207   11.533   46.1    3.6   106   20.4 
2026-09-23 00:00 UT   14 50 04.0   -15 37 07    12.222   11.536   45.2    3.5   106   20.4 
2026-09-24 00:00 UT   14 50 15.4   -15 39 51    12.236   11.539   44.2    3.5   106   20.4 
2026-09-25 00:00 UT   14 50 27.1   -15 42 35    12.250   11.541   43.3    3.4   106   20.4 
2026-09-26 00:00 UT   14 50 38.9   -15 45 19    12.265   11.544   42.4    3.4   106   20.4 
2026-09-27 00:00 UT   14 50 50.9   -15 48 05    12.278   11.546   41.5    3.3   106   20.4 
2026-09-28 00:00 UT   14 51 03.1   -15 50 50    12.292   11.549   40.5    3.2   106   20.4 
2026-09-29 00:00 UT   14 51 15.5   -15 53 37    12.306   11.552   39.6    3.2   106   20.4 
2026-09-30 00:00 UT   14 51 28.1   -15 56 23    12.319   11.554   38.7    3.1   106   20.4 
2026-10-01 00:00 UT   14 51 40.9   -15 59 10    12.332   11.557   37.8    3.0   106   20.4 




    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.

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