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°08'	22.1°	151.5°	355°
Perihelion	3 Jan 2022	5.9	0.615 AU	0.923 AU	21h39m	-35°30'	37.5°	76.6°	99°
Disintegration	1 Mar 2022	11.1	1.282 AU	1.994 AU	21h24m	-34°51'	33.0°	24.9°	220°
Today	9 Jun 2025	-	12.204 AU	11.261 AU	16h08m	-05°33'	157.3°	1.8°	141°

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)                : 1.0002390
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.6154340
            i (Inclination)                 : 132.75450
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 255.91150
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 225.13770
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 221.61246
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -31.36265
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459583.28500

            Epoch                           : 2025 Jun 07
            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
2025-06-09 00:00 UT   16 08 39.5   -05 34 02    11.259   12.203  157.5    1.8   142   25.6 
2025-06-09 05:04 UT   16 08 35.1   -05 33 50    11.261   12.204  157.3    1.8   141   25.6 
2025-06-10 00:00 UT   16 08 18.8   -05 33 07    11.270   12.210  156.7    1.9   140   25.6 
2025-06-11 00:00 UT   16 07 58.2   -05 32 14    11.282   12.217  155.9    1.9   138   25.6 
2025-06-12 00:00 UT   16 07 37.8   -05 31 23    11.294   12.223  155.1    2.0   137   25.6 
2025-06-13 00:00 UT   16 07 17.5   -05 30 33    11.307   12.230  154.3    2.1   135   25.6 
2025-06-14 00:00 UT   16 06 57.4   -05 29 45    11.319   12.237  153.5    2.1   134   25.6 
2025-06-15 00:00 UT   16 06 37.5   -05 28 59    11.333   12.244  152.6    2.2   133   25.6 
2025-06-16 00:00 UT   16 06 17.7   -05 28 14    11.346   12.250  151.7    2.2   131   25.6 
2025-06-17 00:00 UT   16 05 58.0   -05 27 31    11.359   12.257  150.9    2.3   130   25.6 
2025-06-18 00:00 UT   16 05 38.6   -05 26 50    11.373   12.264  150.0    2.4   129   25.7 
2025-06-19 00:00 UT   16 05 19.3   -05 26 10    11.387   12.271  149.1    2.4   128   25.7 

    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.