A/2020 B1
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	27 Dec 2019	22.6	1.740 AU	0.812 AU	08h21m	+36°44'	151.3°	15.8°	250°
Nearest approach	13 Jan 2020	22.2	1.753 AU	0.780 AU	08h16m	+30°46'	167.3°	7.1°	226°
Today	16 Sep 2025	33.4	15.772 AU	16.024 AU	16h05m	-37°00'	73.7°	3.5°	106°

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 B1 are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9666490
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.7395700
            i (Inclination)                 : 18.54300
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 309.78920
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 154.90030
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 285.84274
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 7.75288
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458845.26900
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 376.70

            Epoch                           : 2025 Sep 15
            Reference                       : MPEC 2020-N08

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (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 (21.00 + 5 log[∆] + 5.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve indicates the expected lightcurve for an asteroid (H=21.00; 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
2025-09-16 00:00 UT   16 04 58.2   -37 00 44    16.015   15.770   74.1    3.5   106   33.3 
2025-09-16 10:31 UT   16 05 02.1   -37 00 27    16.024   15.772   73.7    3.5   106   33.4 
2025-09-17 00:00 UT   16 05 07.2   -37 00 04    16.036   15.775   73.2    3.5   106   33.4 
2025-09-18 00:00 UT   16 05 16.5   -36 59 25    16.057   15.780   72.3    3.5   107   33.4 
2025-09-19 00:00 UT   16 05 26.0   -36 58 47    16.077   15.785   71.3    3.5   107   33.4 
2025-09-20 00:00 UT   16 05 35.8   -36 58 10    16.098   15.791   70.4    3.4   107   33.4 
2025-09-21 00:00 UT   16 05 45.8   -36 57 35    16.118   15.796   69.5    3.4   107   33.4 
2025-09-22 00:00 UT   16 05 56.1   -36 56 60    16.139   15.801   68.6    3.4   108   33.4 
2025-09-23 00:00 UT   16 06 06.7   -36 56 26    16.159   15.806   67.7    3.4   108   33.4 
2025-09-24 00:00 UT   16 06 17.4   -36 55 54    16.179   15.812   66.8    3.3   108   33.4 
2025-09-25 00:00 UT   16 06 28.5   -36 55 23    16.199   15.817   65.9    3.3   109   33.4 
2025-09-26 00:00 UT   16 06 39.7   -36 54 52    16.219   15.822   65.0    3.3   109   33.4 

    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.