C/2019 U6 (Lemmon)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	18 Jun 2020	6.5	0.903 AU	0.862 AU	08h52m	-11°25'	56.8°	70.2°	128°
Nearest approach	29 Jun 2020	6.5	0.923 AU	0.820 AU	10h10m	-03°09'	59.2°	71.1°	119°
Today	17 May 2026	33.4	17.404 AU	17.979 AU	23h47m	+48°58'	54.0°	2.7°	282°

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 7.5 + 5 log[∆] + 15.9 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/2019 U6 (Lemmon) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9969780
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.9033290
    i (Inclination)                 : 61.03200
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 235.66900
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 329.41570
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 219.69536
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -26.43288
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459019.03460
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 5168.06

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 16
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

    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
2026-05-16 00:00 UT   23 47 03.1   +48 55 09    17.980   17.397   53.5    2.7   284   33.4 
2026-05-17 00:00 UT   23 47 14.0   +48 57 41    17.979   17.403   53.9    2.7   283   33.4 
2026-05-17 04:32 UT   23 47 16.0   +48 58 09    17.979   17.404   54.0    2.7   282   33.4 
2026-05-18 00:00 UT   23 47 24.5   +49 00 12    17.978   17.409   54.4    2.7   282   33.4 
2026-05-19 00:00 UT   23 47 34.9   +49 02 44    17.977   17.414   54.8    2.7   281   33.5 
2026-05-20 00:00 UT   23 47 45.0   +49 05 17    17.976   17.420   55.3    2.7   280   33.5 
2026-05-21 00:00 UT   23 47 54.8   +49 07 50    17.974   17.425   55.8    2.8   279   33.5 
2026-05-22 00:00 UT   23 48 04.3   +49 10 23    17.973   17.431   56.2    2.8   278   33.5 
2026-05-23 00:00 UT   23 48 13.6   +49 12 57    17.971   17.437   56.7    2.8   277   33.5 
2026-05-24 00:00 UT   23 48 22.7   +49 15 31    17.969   17.442   57.2    2.8   276   33.5 
2026-05-25 00:00 UT   23 48 31.4   +49 18 05    17.967   17.448   57.7    2.8   275   33.5 
2026-05-26 00:00 UT   23 48 39.9   +49 20 40    17.965   17.453   58.2    2.8   274   33.5 
2026-05-27 00:00 UT   23 48 48.2   +49 23 15    17.962   17.459   58.7    2.8   273   33.5 

    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.