C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	16 Nov 2013	5.5	1.013 AU	0.465 AU	11h32m	+38°04'	79.5°	73.7°	304°
Perihelion	18 Dec 2013	5.7	0.821 AU	0.927 AU	16h47m	+25°18'	50.8°	68.2°	342°
Today	28 Feb 2026	35.6	28.779 AU	29.126 AU	19h03m	-64°20'	68.6°	1.8°	241°

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 7.1 + 5 log[∆] + 14.5 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/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9980730
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.8211360
    i (Inclination)                 : 63.96980
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 70.69710
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 67.28580
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 117.04962
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 55.98309
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2456645.39410
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 8796.30

    Epoch                           : 2021 Feb 13
    Reference                       : MPEC 2021-BE3

    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
2026-02-27 00:00 UT   19 03 26.1   -64 18 45    29.139   28.771   67.2    1.8   240   35.6 
2026-02-28 00:00 UT   19 03 37.9   -64 19 49    29.132   28.775   67.9    1.8   241   35.6 
2026-02-28 23:00 UT   19 03 48.9   -64 20 51    29.126   28.779   68.6    1.8   241   35.6 
2026-03-01 00:00 UT   19 03 49.4   -64 20 54    29.125   28.780   68.6    1.8   241   35.6 
2026-03-02 00:00 UT   19 04 00.6   -64 21 59    29.118   28.784   69.3    1.8   242   35.6 
2026-03-03 00:00 UT   19 04 11.6   -64 23 06    29.111   28.788   70.0    1.9   243   35.6 
2026-03-04 00:00 UT   19 04 22.4   -64 24 13    29.104   28.793   70.7    1.9   244   35.6 
2026-03-05 00:00 UT   19 04 32.9   -64 25 21    29.097   28.797   71.4    1.9   244   35.6 
2026-03-06 00:00 UT   19 04 43.1   -64 26 30    29.090   28.802   72.1    1.9   245   35.6 
2026-03-07 00:00 UT   19 04 53.1   -64 27 40    29.082   28.806   72.8    1.9   246   35.6 
2026-03-08 00:00 UT   19 05 02.8   -64 28 51    29.075   28.810   73.6    1.9   246   35.6 
2026-03-09 00:00 UT   19 05 12.2   -64 30 02    29.067   28.815   74.3    1.9   247   35.6 
2026-03-10 00:00 UT   19 05 21.4   -64 31 15    29.059   28.819   75.0    1.9   248   35.6 

    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.