C/2021 A1 (Leonard) - DISINTEGRATED
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	13 Dec 2021	2.9	0.774 AU	0.233 AU	17h13m	-00°40'	22.5°	150.9°	356°
Perihelion	4 Jan 2022	5.9	0.615 AU	0.925 AU	21h40m	-35°21'	37.4°	76.5°	98°
Disintegration	1 Mar 2022	11.0	1.278 AU	1.991 AU	21h24m	-34°51'	32.9°	24.9°	219°
Today	24 Dec 2025	-	13.518 AU	14.345 AU	16h17m	-07°08'	31.7°	2.2°	304°

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 8.4 + 5 log[∆] + 11.0 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/2021 A1 (Leonard) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0002740
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.6145650
    i (Inclination)                 : 132.73840
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 255.90350
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 225.11860
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 221.63034
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -31.36013
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459583.56010

    Epoch                           : 2025 Dec 23
    Reference                       : MPC181179

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-12-23 00:00 UT   16 17 13.9   -07 08 23    14.347   13.509   30.5    2.1   305   26.6 
2025-12-24 00:00 UT   16 17 28.0   -07 08 16    14.346   13.516   31.3    2.2   304   26.6 
2025-12-24 10:28 UT   16 17 34.1   -07 08 12    14.345   13.518   31.7    2.2   304   26.6 
2025-12-25 00:00 UT   16 17 41.9   -07 08 07    14.344   13.522   32.2    2.2   304   26.6 
2025-12-26 00:00 UT   16 17 55.8   -07 07 57    14.342   13.529   33.0    2.3   303   26.6 
2025-12-27 00:00 UT   16 18 09.4   -07 07 45    14.340   13.535   33.9    2.3   302   26.6 
2025-12-28 00:00 UT   16 18 23.0   -07 07 32    14.337   13.542   34.8    2.4   301   26.6 
2025-12-29 00:00 UT   16 18 36.4   -07 07 18    14.334   13.548   35.7    2.4   301   26.6 
2025-12-30 00:00 UT   16 18 49.6   -07 07 03    14.331   13.554   36.6    2.5   300   26.6 
2025-12-31 00:00 UT   16 19 02.7   -07 06 46    14.328   13.561   37.4    2.5   299   26.6 
2026-01-01 00:00 UT   16 19 15.7   -07 06 28    14.325   13.567   38.3    2.6   299   26.6 
2026-01-02 00:00 UT   16 19 28.5   -07 06 08    14.321   13.574   39.2    2.6   298   26.6 
2026-01-03 00:00 UT   16 19 41.1   -07 05 47    14.317   13.580   40.1    2.7   297   26.6 

    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.