C/2020 O2 (Amaral)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	10 Jun 2021	15.4	4.895 AU	3.882 AU	16h59m	-22°33'	176.2°	0.8°	98°
Perihelion	27 Aug 2021	15.7	4.858 AU	4.687 AU	16h30m	-11°42'	93.7°	12.0°	99°
Today	13 Mar 2025	20.8	10.381 AU	10.748 AU	22h12m	+61°07'	65.8°	5.0°	337°

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 C/2020 O2 (Amaral) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9998400
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.8577350
            i (Inclination)                 : 71.76170
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 256.79380
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 10.19310
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 260.01462
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 9.67597
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459453.95760

            Epoch                           : 2025 Mar 13
            Reference                       : MPEC 2024-JU4

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)
        

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 is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (8.00 + 5 log[∆] + 8.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 5.52 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]).

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
2025-03-13 00:00 UT   22 11 22.6   +61 04 39    10.741   10.376   66.0    5.0   338   20.8 
2025-03-13 20:07 UT   22 12 06.5   +61 07 19    10.748   10.381   65.8    5.0   337   20.8 
2025-03-14 00:00 UT   22 12 14.9   +61 07 50    10.750   10.382   65.8    5.0   337   20.8 
2025-03-15 00:00 UT   22 13 07.0   +61 11 04    10.759   10.387   65.6    5.0   336   20.8 
2025-03-16 00:00 UT   22 13 58.9   +61 14 21    10.767   10.393   65.4    5.0   335   20.8 
2025-03-17 00:00 UT   22 14 50.6   +61 17 41    10.776   10.398   65.2    5.0   335   20.9 
2025-03-18 00:00 UT   22 15 42.1   +61 21 04    10.785   10.404   65.0    5.0   334   20.9 
2025-03-19 00:00 UT   22 16 33.4   +61 24 31    10.794   10.409   64.8    5.0   333   20.9 
2025-03-20 00:00 UT   22 17 24.5   +61 28 00    10.802   10.415   64.6    5.0   332   20.9 
2025-03-21 00:00 UT   22 18 15.3   +61 31 33    10.811   10.420   64.4    4.9   331   20.9 
2025-03-22 00:00 UT   22 19 06.0   +61 35 09    10.819   10.426   64.3    4.9   330   20.9 
2025-03-23 00:00 UT   22 19 56.4   +61 38 47    10.827   10.431   64.1    4.9   330   20.9 

    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.