C/2023 X1 (Leonard)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	17 Oct 2023	14.2	0.954 AU	1.694 AU	11h34m	-18°08'	29.0°	30.4°	256°
Nearest approach	23 Dec 2023	15.0	1.466 AU	1.027 AU	13h22m	+45°08'	93.6°	42.1°	300°
Today	2 Sep 2026	28.4	10.416 AU	10.057 AU	21h25m	+62°15'	108.1°	5.3°	159°

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 13.3 + 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/2023 X1 (Leonard) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9938800
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.9535140
    i (Inclination)                 : 110.59540
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 136.95890
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 321.50680
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 152.58731
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -35.63654
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460235.23400
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 1944.75

    Epoch                           : 2026 Sep 01
    Reference                       : MPC194187

    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
2026-09-01 00:00 UT   21 26 13.3   +62 20 20    10.053   10.406  107.8    5.3   161   28.4 
2026-09-02 00:00 UT   21 25 29.0   +62 16 59    10.056   10.413  108.0    5.3   160   28.4 
2026-09-02 09:20 UT   21 25 11.9   +62 15 40    10.057   10.416  108.1    5.3   159   28.4 
2026-09-03 00:00 UT   21 24 45.1   +62 13 33    10.060   10.420  108.2    5.3   159   28.4 
2026-09-04 00:00 UT   21 24 01.8   +62 10 00    10.063   10.427  108.5    5.3   157   28.4 
2026-09-05 00:00 UT   21 23 18.9   +62 06 22    10.067   10.434  108.7    5.3   156   28.4 
2026-09-06 00:00 UT   21 22 36.6   +62 02 37    10.071   10.441  108.9    5.2   155   28.5 
2026-09-07 00:00 UT   21 21 54.8   +61 58 47    10.074   10.448  109.1    5.2   154   28.5 
2026-09-08 00:00 UT   21 21 13.5   +61 54 52    10.078   10.455  109.3    5.2   153   28.5 
2026-09-09 00:00 UT   21 20 32.9   +61 50 50    10.083   10.462  109.5    5.2   151   28.5 
2026-09-10 00:00 UT   21 19 52.8   +61 46 44    10.087   10.469  109.7    5.2   150   28.5 
2026-09-11 00:00 UT   21 19 13.4   +61 42 31    10.091   10.476  109.8    5.2   149   28.5 
2026-09-12 00:00 UT   21 18 34.5   +61 38 14    10.096   10.483  110.0    5.2   148   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.