P/2018 VN2 (Leonard)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	13 Jan 2026	22.1	2.693 AU	3.645 AU	19h34m	-09°00'	12.5°	4.5°	354°
Perihelion	15 Aug 2026	19.3	2.120 AU	1.584 AU	01h44m	+27°58'	107.4°	27.1°	243°
Nearest approach	19 Oct 2026	18.8	2.183 AU	1.202 AU	01h57m	+22°01'	166.5°	6.1°	206°

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. (15.0 + 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 P/2018 VN2 (Leonard) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.4780300
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.1195310
    i (Inclination)                 : 18.25530
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 226.43230
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 138.92950
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 186.82150
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 11.87647
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2461268.27290
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 8.18

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jan 13
    Reference                       : MPC181178

    Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
    Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.755

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-01-12 00:00 UT   19 31 40.9   -09 10 10     3.653    2.701   12.6    4.5   359   22.1 
2026-01-13 00:00 UT   19 33 28.2   -09 04 60     3.649    2.697   12.5    4.5   356   22.1 
2026-01-13 19:46 UT   19 34 56.7   -09 00 40     3.645    2.693   12.5    4.5   354   22.1 
2026-01-14 00:00 UT   19 35 15.7   -08 59 44     3.644    2.692   12.5    4.5   354   22.1 
2026-01-15 00:00 UT   19 37 03.3   -08 54 21     3.640    2.688   12.5    4.5   351   22.1 
2026-01-16 00:00 UT   19 38 51.1   -08 48 52     3.636    2.684   12.5    4.6   348   22.1 
2026-01-17 00:00 UT   19 40 39.1   -08 43 17     3.631    2.679   12.6    4.6   345   22.1 
2026-01-18 00:00 UT   19 42 27.2   -08 37 35     3.626    2.675   12.6    4.6   343   22.1 
2026-01-19 00:00 UT   19 44 15.5   -08 31 48     3.622    2.671   12.7    4.7   340   22.1 
2026-01-20 00:00 UT   19 46 04.0   -08 25 54     3.617    2.666   12.8    4.7   337   22.1 
2026-01-21 00:00 UT   19 47 52.5   -08 19 53     3.612    2.662   13.0    4.8   335   22.0 
2026-01-22 00:00 UT   19 49 41.3   -08 13 47     3.607    2.658   13.1    4.8   332   22.0 
2026-01-23 00:00 UT   19 51 30.1   -08 07 34     3.601    2.653   13.3    4.9   330   22.0 

    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.