C/2019 O3 (Palomar)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	23 Jul 2020	16.4	8.918 AU	8.274 AU	19h24m	+32°05'	126.7°	5.2°	166°
Perihelion	8 Mar 2021	16.6	8.821 AU	9.208 AU	19h42m	+36°06'	64.2°	5.8°	298°
Today	16 Sep 2025	20.6	12.769 AU	13.165 AU	10h21m	+65°43'	64.8°	4.1°	339°

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.)

The orbital elements of C/2019 O3 (Palomar) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0024300
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 8.8205730
            i (Inclination)                 : 89.79350
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 300.47980
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 60.09330
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 300.83881
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 60.09265
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459281.64680

            Epoch                           : 2025 Sep 15
            Reference                       : MPC182878

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)
        

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC. The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (3.50 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently -7.34 + 5 log[∆] + 20.20 log[r]).

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.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.

The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.

A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Ephemerides:

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-09-16 00:00 UT   10 21 09.2   +65 44 02    13.169   12.766   64.3    4.1   340   20.6 
2025-09-16 22:45 UT   10 21 36.4   +65 43 26    13.165   12.769   64.8    4.1   339   20.6 
2025-09-17 00:00 UT   10 21 37.9   +65 43 24    13.165   12.769   64.8    4.1   339   20.6 
2025-09-18 00:00 UT   10 22 06.3   +65 42 50    13.160   12.773   65.3    4.1   338   20.6 
2025-09-19 00:00 UT   10 22 34.5   +65 42 19    13.156   12.777   65.8    4.1   337   20.6 
2025-09-20 00:00 UT   10 23 02.4   +65 41 52    13.151   12.781   66.3    4.1   336   20.6 
2025-09-21 00:00 UT   10 23 30.1   +65 41 29    13.147   12.785   66.8    4.1   336   20.6 
2025-09-22 00:00 UT   10 23 57.4   +65 41 09    13.142   12.788   67.3    4.2   335   20.6 
2025-09-23 00:00 UT   10 24 24.5   +65 40 52    13.137   12.792   67.8    4.2   334   20.6 
2025-09-24 00:00 UT   10 24 51.3   +65 40 39    13.132   12.796   68.3    4.2   333   20.6 
2025-09-25 00:00 UT   10 25 17.8   +65 40 30    13.127   12.800   68.9    4.2   333   20.6 
2025-09-26 00:00 UT   10 25 44.0   +65 40 24    13.122   12.804   69.4    4.2   332   20.6 

    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.