C/2020 K3 (Leonard)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	31 May 2020	19.3	1.584 AU	1.848 AU	00h06m	+41°06'	58.9°	33.3°	267°
Nearest approach	12 Jul 2020	18.9	1.680 AU	1.319 AU	18h59m	+66°52'	91.0°	37.2°	174°
Today	14 May 2026	34.3	16.865 AU	16.198 AU	11h49m	-23°00'	130.0°	2.6°	96°

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 16.0 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 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/2020 K3 (Leonard) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9930200
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.5842020
    i (Inclination)                 : 128.63610
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 27.85890
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 62.58640
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 337.57456
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 43.90076
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459001.42480
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 3419.26

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 13
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-FR0

    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
2026-05-13 00:00 UT   11 49 29.0   -23 03 14    16.173   16.857  131.2    2.6    95   34.3 
2026-05-14 00:00 UT   11 49 19.3   -23 01 25    16.190   16.862  130.4    2.6    95   34.3 
2026-05-14 11:11 UT   11 49 14.9   -23 00 34    16.198   16.865  130.0    2.6    96   34.3 
2026-05-15 00:00 UT   11 49 09.8   -22 59 36    16.207   16.868  129.5    2.7    96   34.3 
2026-05-16 00:00 UT   11 49 00.6   -22 57 47    16.224   16.873  128.6    2.7    97   34.3 
2026-05-17 00:00 UT   11 48 51.6   -22 55 60    16.241   16.879  127.7    2.7    97   34.3 
2026-05-18 00:00 UT   11 48 42.8   -22 54 12    16.258   16.885  126.8    2.7    98   34.3 
2026-05-19 00:00 UT   11 48 34.2   -22 52 26    16.276   16.890  125.9    2.8    98   34.3 
2026-05-20 00:00 UT   11 48 25.9   -22 50 39    16.294   16.896  125.1    2.8    99   34.3 
2026-05-21 00:00 UT   11 48 17.9   -22 48 54    16.312   16.901  124.2    2.8    99   34.3 
2026-05-22 00:00 UT   11 48 10.0   -22 47 09    16.330   16.907  123.3    2.9   100   34.3 
2026-05-23 00:00 UT   11 48 02.4   -22 45 26    16.348   16.912  122.4    2.9   101   34.3 
2026-05-24 00:00 UT   11 47 55.1   -22 43 42    16.366   16.918  121.5    2.9   101   34.4 

    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.