A/2020 B1
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	26 Dec 2019	22.6	1.739 AU	0.817 AU	08h26m	+36°28'	149.8°	16.5°	253°
Nearest approach	13 Jan 2020	22.2	1.753 AU	0.781 AU	08h20m	+30°12'	167.1°	7.2°	230°
Today	26 Apr 2024	32.3	12.961 AU	12.133 AU	16h09m	-39°21'	144.0°	2.6°	308°

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)                : 0.9663420
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.7386680
            i (Inclination)                 : 18.52590
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 309.89620
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 154.76070
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 285.81278
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 7.78646
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458844.42620
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 371.27

            Epoch                           : 2024 Apr 25
            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
2024-04-26 00:00 UT   16 09 48.2   -39 21 13    12.133   12.959  143.8    2.6   307   32.3 
2024-04-26 07:00 UT   16 09 42.9   -39 21 13    12.133   12.961  144.0    2.6   308   32.3 
2024-04-27 00:00 UT   16 09 30.0   -39 21 12    12.131   12.965  144.6    2.6   308   32.3 
2024-04-28 00:00 UT   16 09 11.5   -39 21 09    12.128   12.971  145.5    2.5   309   32.3 
2024-04-29 00:00 UT   16 08 52.8   -39 21 03    12.126   12.977  146.4    2.5   311   32.3 
2024-04-30 00:00 UT   16 08 34.0   -39 20 56    12.124   12.982  147.2    2.4   312   32.3 
2024-05-01 00:00 UT   16 08 14.9   -39 20 47    12.122   12.988  148.0    2.4   313   32.2 
2024-05-02 00:00 UT   16 07 55.7   -39 20 36    12.120   12.994  148.9    2.3   314   32.2 
2024-05-03 00:00 UT   16 07 36.4   -39 20 23    12.119   13.000  149.7    2.2   315   32.2 
2024-05-04 00:00 UT   16 07 16.8   -39 20 08    12.118   13.006  150.5    2.2   317   32.2 
2024-05-05 00:00 UT   16 06 57.2   -39 19 51    12.117   13.012  151.3    2.1   318   32.2 
2024-05-06 00:00 UT   16 06 37.4   -39 19 31    12.117   13.017  152.1    2.1   320   32.2 

    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.