C/2021 A1 (Leonard) - DISINTEGRATED
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Nearest approach12 Dec 20212.80.774 AU0.232 AU17h10m-01°17'21.9°151.6°355°
Perihelion3 Jan 20225.90.616 AU0.922 AU21h39m-35°33'37.5°76.6°99°
Disintegration1 Mar 202211.11.283 AU1.995 AU21h24m-34°52'33.0°24.9°220°
Today11 Mar 2025-11.587 AU11.334 AU16h34m-08°04'102.3°4.8°276°
C/2021 A1 (Leonard)- 2025-03-11
astro.vanbuitenen.nl


 
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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/2021 A1 (Leonard) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0002240
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.6157330
            i (Inclination)                 : 132.75980
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 255.91390
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 225.14400
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 221.60632
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -31.36348
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459583.19070

            Epoch                           : 2025 Mar 10
            Reference                       : MPEC 2025-A40

            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 (8.50 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 8.36 + 5 log[∆] + 11.04 log[r]). The additional green curve shows the effect of forward scattering, occurring when the comet is between the earth and the sun, for a gas-to-dust light ratio δ90 of 0.10. (See Marcus 2007)


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
2025-03-11 00:00 UT   16 34 05.6   -08 04 59    11.338   11.584  101.9    4.8   276   25.4 
2025-03-11 11:20 UT   16 34 03.1   -08 04 08    11.334   11.587  102.3    4.8   276   25.4 
2025-03-12 00:00 UT   16 34 00.2   -08 03 11    11.329   11.591  102.9    4.8   275   25.4 
2025-03-13 00:00 UT   16 33 54.4   -08 01 22    11.319   11.598  103.9    4.8   275   25.4 
2025-03-14 00:00 UT   16 33 48.2   -07 59 33    11.310   11.605  104.9    4.7   275   25.4 
2025-03-15 00:00 UT   16 33 41.7   -07 57 43    11.300   11.612  105.8    4.7   275   25.4 
2025-03-16 00:00 UT   16 33 34.9   -07 55 53    11.291   11.619  106.8    4.7   274   25.4 
2025-03-17 00:00 UT   16 33 27.6   -07 54 02    11.282   11.626  107.8    4.7   274   25.4 
2025-03-18 00:00 UT   16 33 20.0   -07 52 10    11.273   11.633  108.8    4.6   274   25.4 
2025-03-19 00:00 UT   16 33 12.1   -07 50 18    11.264   11.640  109.8    4.6   274   25.4 
2025-03-20 00:00 UT   16 33 03.8   -07 48 25    11.255   11.647  110.8    4.6   273   25.4 
2025-03-21 00:00 UT   16 32 55.1   -07 46 32    11.246   11.653  111.8    4.6   273   25.4 

































































    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.