C/2018 N2 (ASASSN)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	19 Oct 2019	11.7	3.146 AU	2.226 AU	01h12m	+36°25'	153.0°	8.3°	168°
Perihelion	11 Nov 2019	11.8	3.138 AU	2.330 AU	00h20m	+38°49'	138.2°	12.1°	109°
Today	19 Jun 2026	22.5	17.223 AU	16.913 AU	13h38m	+17°40'	106.0°	3.3°	122°

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 5.6 + 5 log[∆] + 8.7 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/2018 N2 (ASASSN) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0020910
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.1382170
    i (Inclination)                 : 77.43010
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 25.27650
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 24.63150
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 30.97483
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 24.00340
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458799.43800

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jun 18
    Reference                       : MPC194156

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-06-18 00:00 UT   13 38 26.1   +17 42 35    16.886   17.215  107.2    3.2   122   22.5 
2026-06-19 00:00 UT   13 38 19.3   +17 41 12    16.906   17.221  106.4    3.2   122   22.5 
2026-06-19 09:12 UT   13 38 16.8   +17 40 40    16.913   17.223  106.0    3.3   122   22.5 
2026-06-20 00:00 UT   13 38 12.7   +17 39 47    16.926   17.226  105.5    3.3   121   22.5 
2026-06-21 00:00 UT   13 38 06.4   +17 38 21    16.945   17.231  104.7    3.3   121   22.5 
2026-06-22 00:00 UT   13 38 00.2   +17 36 53    16.965   17.237  103.8    3.3   121   22.5 
2026-06-23 00:00 UT   13 37 54.3   +17 35 23    16.985   17.242  102.9    3.3   120   22.5 
2026-06-24 00:00 UT   13 37 48.6   +17 33 52    17.005   17.247  102.1    3.3   120   22.5 
2026-06-25 00:00 UT   13 37 43.1   +17 32 20    17.025   17.252  101.2    3.3   119   22.5 
2026-06-26 00:00 UT   13 37 37.8   +17 30 46    17.046   17.258  100.3    3.3   119   22.5 
2026-06-27 00:00 UT   13 37 32.8   +17 29 10    17.066   17.263   99.5    3.3   118   22.5 
2026-06-28 00:00 UT   13 37 28.0   +17 27 34    17.086   17.268   98.6    3.3   118   22.5 
2026-06-29 00:00 UT   13 37 23.4   +17 25 56    17.106   17.274   97.8    3.3   117   22.5 

    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.