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°27'	153.0°	8.3°	168°
Perihelion	11 Nov 2019	11.8	3.138 AU	2.330 AU	00h20m	+38°51'	138.2°	12.1°	109°
Today	14 Aug 2026	22.7	17.520 AU	18.027 AU	13h37m	+15°52'	58.5°	2.8°	97°

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)                : 1.0020720
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.1383660
    i (Inclination)                 : 77.42110
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 25.28100
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 24.63060
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 30.98308
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 24.00163
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458799.36970

    Epoch                           : 2026 Aug 13
    Reference                       : MPC194156

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-08-13 00:00 UT   13 37 43.6   +15 55 53    18.002   17.512   59.7    2.9    98   22.7 
2026-08-14 00:00 UT   13 37 48.7   +15 53 41    18.020   17.517   58.8    2.8    98   22.7 
2026-08-14 10:16 UT   13 37 51.0   +15 52 44    18.027   17.520   58.5    2.8    97   22.7 
2026-08-15 00:00 UT   13 37 54.1   +15 51 28    18.038   17.523   58.0    2.8    97   22.7 
2026-08-16 00:00 UT   13 37 59.6   +15 49 16    18.055   17.528   57.2    2.8    97   22.7 
2026-08-17 00:00 UT   13 38 05.3   +15 47 03    18.073   17.533   56.4    2.8    96   22.7 
2026-08-18 00:00 UT   13 38 11.2   +15 44 50    18.090   17.539   55.6    2.7    96   22.7 
2026-08-19 00:00 UT   13 38 17.3   +15 42 38    18.108   17.544   54.8    2.7    95   22.7 
2026-08-20 00:00 UT   13 38 23.5   +15 40 25    18.125   17.549   54.0    2.7    94   22.7 
2026-08-21 00:00 UT   13 38 29.9   +15 38 12    18.142   17.554   53.2    2.6    94   22.7 
2026-08-22 00:00 UT   13 38 36.5   +15 35 60    18.158   17.560   52.4    2.6    93   22.7 
2026-08-23 00:00 UT   13 38 43.2   +15 33 47    18.175   17.565   51.6    2.6    93   22.7 
2026-08-24 00:00 UT   13 38 50.1   +15 31 35    18.192   17.570   50.8    2.6    92   22.7 

    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.