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°24'	153.0°	8.2°	168°
Perihelion	11 Nov 2019	11.8	3.138 AU	2.330 AU	00h20m	+38°48'	138.1°	12.2°	109°
Today	6 May 2026	22.3	16.987 AU	16.183 AU	13h46m	+18°12'	141.8°	2.1°	154°

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)                : 1.0021050
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.1380340
    i (Inclination)                 : 77.43900
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 25.27200
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 24.63170
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 30.96644
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 24.00448
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458799.49360

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 05
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-05-05 00:00 UT   13 46 29.2   +18 12 42    16.168   16.981  142.6    2.1   156   22.3 
2026-05-06 00:00 UT   13 46 15.2   +18 12 45    16.180   16.986  142.0    2.1   154   22.3 
2026-05-06 05:53 UT   13 46 11.8   +18 12 45    16.183   16.987  141.8    2.1   154   22.3 
2026-05-07 00:00 UT   13 46 01.2   +18 12 46    16.192   16.991  141.3    2.1   153   22.3 
2026-05-08 00:00 UT   13 45 47.4   +18 12 45    16.204   16.997  140.6    2.2   152   22.3 
2026-05-09 00:00 UT   13 45 33.6   +18 12 42    16.217   17.002  139.9    2.2   151   22.3 
2026-05-10 00:00 UT   13 45 20.0   +18 12 36    16.230   17.007  139.2    2.2   150   22.3 
2026-05-11 00:00 UT   13 45 06.4   +18 12 29    16.243   17.013  138.4    2.3   149   22.3 
2026-05-12 00:00 UT   13 44 53.0   +18 12 19    16.257   17.018  137.7    2.3   148   22.3 
2026-05-13 00:00 UT   13 44 39.7   +18 12 07    16.270   17.023  137.0    2.3   147   22.3 
2026-05-14 00:00 UT   13 44 26.4   +18 11 54    16.284   17.029  136.2    2.4   146   22.3 
2026-05-15 00:00 UT   13 44 13.4   +18 11 38    16.299   17.034  135.4    2.4   145   22.4 
2026-05-16 00:00 UT   13 44 00.4   +18 11 19    16.313   17.039  134.7    2.4   144   22.4 

    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.