C/2020 S8 (Lemmon)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	10 Apr 2021	15.7	2.355 AU	1.468 AU	15h04m	+15°10'	144.3°	14.4°	232°
Nearest approach	23 Apr 2021	15.7	2.360 AU	1.410 AU	14h10m	+12°36'	154.9°	10.4°	185°
Today	4 Mar 2026	28.5	14.117 AU	14.255 AU	04h29m	-39°29'	80.0°	4.0°	90°

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 11.2 + 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 S8 (Lemmon) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9900530
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.3552150
    i (Inclination)                 : 108.55160
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 23.98540
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 160.11080
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 30.55148
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 18.81567
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459314.73570
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 3643.41

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2021-P47

    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
2026-03-03 00:00 UT   04 29 59.2   -39 37 48    14.228   14.106   80.9    4.0    88   28.4 
2026-03-04 00:00 UT   04 29 58.1   -39 33 44    14.242   14.112   80.5    4.0    89   28.5 
2026-03-04 21:59 UT   04 29 57.4   -39 29 60    14.255   14.117   80.0    4.0    90   28.5 
2026-03-05 00:00 UT   04 29 57.3   -39 29 39    14.256   14.118   80.0    4.0    90   28.5 
2026-03-06 00:00 UT   04 29 56.9   -39 25 35    14.270   14.124   79.5    4.0    91   28.5 
2026-03-07 00:00 UT   04 29 56.9   -39 21 32    14.284   14.129   79.0    4.0    92   28.5 
2026-03-08 00:00 UT   04 29 57.2   -39 17 29    14.298   14.135   78.6    3.9    93   28.5 
2026-03-09 00:00 UT   04 29 57.9   -39 13 27    14.312   14.141   78.1    3.9    94   28.5 
2026-03-10 00:00 UT   04 29 59.0   -39 09 25    14.326   14.147   77.6    3.9    95   28.5 
2026-03-11 00:00 UT   04 30 00.4   -39 05 25    14.340   14.153   77.2    3.9    95   28.5 
2026-03-12 00:00 UT   04 30 02.1   -39 01 25    14.353   14.158   76.7    3.9    96   28.5 
2026-03-13 00:00 UT   04 30 04.3   -38 57 26    14.367   14.164   76.2    3.9    97   28.5 
2026-03-14 00:00 UT   04 30 06.7   -38 53 28    14.381   14.170   75.8    3.9    98   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.