C/2021 A1 (Leonard) - DISINTEGRATED
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	12 Dec 2021	2.8	0.774 AU	0.232 AU	17h11m	-01°12'	22.0°	151.5°	355°
Perihelion	3 Jan 2022	5.9	0.616 AU	0.922 AU	21h39m	-35°31'	37.5°	76.6°	99°
Disintegration	1 Mar 2022	11.1	1.283 AU	1.994 AU	21h24m	-34°52'	33.0°	24.9°	220°
Today	26 Apr 2025	-	11.902 AU	11.044 AU	16h24m	-06°37'	147.2°	2.6°	255°

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.)

The orbital elements of C/2021 A1 (Leonard) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0002320
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.6155610
            i (Inclination)                 : 132.75630
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 255.91230
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 225.14010
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 221.61011
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -31.36309
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459583.24080

            Epoch                           : 2025 Apr 24
            Reference                       : MPEC 2025-A40

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

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC. The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (8.50 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 8.37 + 5 log[∆] + 11.03 log[r]). The additional green curve shows the effect of forward scattering, occurring when the comet is between the earth and the sun, for a gas-to-dust light ratio δ90 of 0.10. (See Marcus 2007)

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.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.

The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.

A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Ephemerides:

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-04-26 00:00 UT   16 24 12.5   -06 37 26    11.044   11.902  147.1    2.6   255   25.4 
2025-04-26 00:47 UT   16 24 11.9   -06 37 23    11.044   11.902  147.2    2.6   255   25.4 
2025-04-27 00:00 UT   16 23 53.2   -06 35 37    11.043   11.909  148.1    2.6   255   25.5 
2025-04-28 00:00 UT   16 23 33.7   -06 33 48    11.041   11.916  149.0    2.5   254   25.5 
2025-04-29 00:00 UT   16 23 13.9   -06 31 59    11.041   11.923  149.9    2.4   253   25.5 
2025-04-30 00:00 UT   16 22 54.1   -06 30 12    11.040   11.930  150.8    2.4   251   25.5 
2025-05-01 00:00 UT   16 22 34.0   -06 28 25    11.040   11.937  151.7    2.3   250   25.5 
2025-05-02 00:00 UT   16 22 13.8   -06 26 39    11.040   11.943  152.6    2.2   249   25.5 
2025-05-03 00:00 UT   16 21 53.4   -06 24 54    11.040   11.950  153.4    2.2   248   25.5 
2025-05-04 00:00 UT   16 21 32.9   -06 23 09    11.040   11.957  154.3    2.1   246   25.5 
2025-05-05 00:00 UT   16 21 12.2   -06 21 26    11.041   11.964  155.1    2.0   245   25.5 
2025-05-06 00:00 UT   16 20 51.5   -06 19 44    11.042   11.971  155.9    2.0   243   25.5 

    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.