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C/2025 O2 (MAPS)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Perihelion23 May 202520.32.289 AU3.076 AU 03h54m-11°54'32.6°13.8°183°
Nearest approach16 Sep 202519.82.633 AU1.790 AU 01h29m-33°43'139.1°14.5°314°
Today19 Mar 202623.73.941 AU4.847 AU 22h34m-08°24'21.9°5.4°250°
C/2025 O2 (MAPS)- 2026-03-19
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.)


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. (14.3 + 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/2025 O2 (MAPS) are: 

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9991490
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.2886990
    i (Inclination)                 : 134.54520
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 332.31130
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 280.25210
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 47.85308
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -44.53288
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460819.23650
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 139472.53

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 19
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

    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
2026-03-18 00:00 UT   22 33 39.1   -08 37 16     4.844    3.926   20.2    5.0   249   23.7 
2026-03-19 00:00 UT   22 33 56.0   -08 30 27     4.846    3.933   21.1    5.2   250   23.7 
2026-03-19 22:45 UT   22 34 11.8   -08 24 01     4.847    3.941   21.9    5.4   250   23.7 
2026-03-20 00:00 UT   22 34 12.7   -08 23 40     4.847    3.941   22.0    5.4   250   23.7 
2026-03-21 00:00 UT   22 34 29.0   -08 16 55     4.848    3.949   22.9    5.6   250   23.7 
2026-03-22 00:00 UT   22 34 45.0   -08 10 11     4.848    3.957   23.8    5.8   250   23.7 
2026-03-23 00:00 UT   22 35 00.6   -08 03 30     4.849    3.965   24.7    6.0   250   23.7 
2026-03-24 00:00 UT   22 35 15.9   -07 56 50     4.849    3.973   25.6    6.2   250   23.7 
2026-03-25 00:00 UT   22 35 30.8   -07 50 12     4.849    3.981   26.5    6.4   250   23.7 
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   22 35 45.4   -07 43 36     4.848    3.989   27.3    6.6   250   23.7 
2026-03-27 00:00 UT   22 35 59.7   -07 37 02     4.848    3.997   28.2    6.8   250   23.7 
2026-03-28 00:00 UT   22 36 13.5   -07 30 29     4.847    4.005   29.1    7.0   250   23.8 
2026-03-29 00:00 UT   22 36 26.9   -07 23 59     4.846    4.013   30.0    7.2   250   23.8 




    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.

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