A/2020 A1
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	1 Dec 2019	21.0	1.667 AU	2.112 AU	12h46m	-26°49'	50.4°	27.1°	277°
Nearest approach	2 Feb 2020	18.9	1.850 AU	0.902 AU	09h08m	-06°00'	156.9°	12.1°	355°
Today	24 Apr 2024	28.5	12.663 AU	13.536 AU	01h20m	+39°39'	28.7°	2.2°	336°

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 A/2020 A1 are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9347100
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.6671080
            i (Inclination)                 : 149.03350
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 119.14040
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 302.43510
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 172.59786
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -25.73878
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458819.03420
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 129.03

            Epoch                           : 2024 Apr 23
            Reference                       : MPEC 2023-A50

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); Halley type (P < 200 years)
        

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 indicates the expected brightness if this object is a comet (18.00 + 5 log[∆] + 5.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve indicates the expected lightcurve for an asteroid (H=17.10; G=.15).

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
2024-04-24 00:00 UT   01 20 45.6   +39 38 58    13.535   12.662   28.7    2.2   336   28.5 
2024-04-24 04:13 UT   01 20 48.7   +39 39 15    13.536   12.663   28.7    2.2   336   28.5 
2024-04-25 00:00 UT   01 21 03.0   +39 40 35    13.540   12.667   28.7    2.2   334   28.5 
2024-04-26 00:00 UT   01 21 20.3   +39 42 15    13.546   12.673   28.7    2.2   332   28.5 
2024-04-27 00:00 UT   01 21 37.6   +39 43 55    13.551   12.678   28.7    2.2   330   28.5 
2024-04-28 00:00 UT   01 21 54.7   +39 45 38    13.556   12.684   28.8    2.2   329   28.5 
2024-04-29 00:00 UT   01 22 11.8   +39 47 22    13.561   12.689   28.9    2.2   327   28.5 
2024-04-30 00:00 UT   01 22 28.7   +39 49 07    13.565   12.694   29.1    2.2   325   28.5 
2024-05-01 00:00 UT   01 22 45.6   +39 50 54    13.569   12.700   29.2    2.2   323   28.5 
2024-05-02 00:00 UT   01 23 02.4   +39 52 43    13.573   12.705   29.4    2.2   321   28.5 
2024-05-03 00:00 UT   01 23 19.0   +39 54 33    13.577   12.711   29.6    2.2   320   28.5 
2024-05-04 00:00 UT   01 23 35.5   +39 56 25    13.581   12.716   29.8    2.3   318   28.5 

    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.