P/2021 L2 (Leonard)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	28 Sep 2026	28.8	5.814 AU	6.659 AU	10h20m	-08°08'	30.1°	5.0°	260°
Nearest approach	19 Jul 2029	20.0	1.994 AU	1.011 AU	19h10m	-03°07'	159.4°	10.3°	151°
Perihelion	10 Sep 2029	20.4	1.936 AU	1.260 AU	19h05m	+03°08'	116.9°	27.6°	97°

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. The light curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from an MPEC, or the latest values provided by the minor planet center. (17.0 + 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 P/2021 L2 (Leonard) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.5215000
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.9360560
    i (Inclination)                 : 21.05860
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 266.62610
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 51.40070
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 316.08246
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 16.30919
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2462390.39840
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 8.14

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194174

    Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
    Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.690

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-09-27 00:00 UT   10 19 37.7   -08 00 05     6.673    5.816   29.0    4.8   258   28.8 
2026-09-28 00:00 UT   10 20 15.6   -08 05 21     6.665    5.815   29.6    4.9   259   28.8 
2026-09-28 15:19 UT   10 20 39.6   -08 08 43     6.659    5.814   30.1    5.0   260   28.8 
2026-09-29 00:00 UT   10 20 53.2   -08 10 38     6.656    5.813   30.3    5.0   260   28.8 
2026-09-30 00:00 UT   10 21 30.7   -08 15 57     6.648    5.811   31.0    5.1   261   28.8 
2026-10-01 00:00 UT   10 22 08.0   -08 21 18     6.639    5.810   31.6    5.2   262   28.8 
2026-10-02 00:00 UT   10 22 45.1   -08 26 39     6.630    5.808   32.3    5.3   263   28.7 
2026-10-03 00:00 UT   10 23 22.0   -08 32 02     6.620    5.806   33.0    5.4   264   28.7 
2026-10-04 00:00 UT   10 23 58.7   -08 37 26     6.611    5.805   33.7    5.5   264   28.7 
2026-10-05 00:00 UT   10 24 35.2   -08 42 52     6.601    5.803   34.4    5.6   265   28.7 
2026-10-06 00:00 UT   10 25 11.4   -08 48 19     6.591    5.801   35.1    5.7   266   28.7 
2026-10-07 00:00 UT   10 25 47.5   -08 53 47     6.581    5.799   35.8    5.8   267   28.7 
2026-10-08 00:00 UT   10 26 23.3   -08 59 16     6.571    5.798   36.5    5.9   267   28.7 

    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.