C/2022 U1 (Leonard)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	28 Oct 2023	16.8	4.385 AU	3.683 AU	23h54m	+56°10'	129.7°	10.0°	136°
Perihelion	26 Mar 2024	17.3	4.202 AU	4.896 AU	22h49m	+38°07'	41.6°	9.1°	324°
Today	12 Feb 2026	20.3	6.900 AU	7.472 AU	18h17m	-06°11'	51.4°	6.4°	282°

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 7.6 + 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 C/2022 U1 (Leonard) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0005950
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.2020310
    i (Inclination)                 : 128.14330
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 72.53140
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 78.61850
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 0.58333
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 50.44400
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460395.69760

    Epoch                           : 2026 Feb 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2025-UQ3

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-02-11 00:00 UT   18 16 50.0   -06 10 59     7.484    6.889   49.8    6.3   283   20.3 
2026-02-12 00:00 UT   18 17 01.7   -06 11 31     7.478    6.895   50.7    6.4   283   20.3 
2026-02-12 18:41 UT   18 17 10.6   -06 11 55     7.472    6.900   51.4    6.4   282   20.3 
2026-02-13 00:00 UT   18 17 13.1   -06 12 02     7.471    6.901   51.6    6.4   282   20.3 
2026-02-14 00:00 UT   18 17 24.0   -06 12 32     7.463    6.907   52.5    6.5   282   20.3 
2026-02-15 00:00 UT   18 17 34.5   -06 13 00     7.456    6.913   53.4    6.6   281   20.3 
2026-02-16 00:00 UT   18 17 44.5   -06 13 27     7.448    6.918   54.3    6.7   281   20.3 
2026-02-17 00:00 UT   18 17 54.2   -06 13 53     7.440    6.924   55.2    6.7   281   20.3 
2026-02-18 00:00 UT   18 18 03.4   -06 14 18     7.432    6.930   56.1    6.8   280   20.3 
2026-02-19 00:00 UT   18 18 12.2   -06 14 41     7.424    6.936   57.0    6.9   280   20.3 
2026-02-20 00:00 UT   18 18 20.5   -06 15 03     7.416    6.942   57.9    6.9   279   20.3 
2026-02-21 00:00 UT   18 18 28.4   -06 15 24     7.407    6.947   58.8    7.0   279   20.3 
2026-02-22 00:00 UT   18 18 35.8   -06 15 44     7.399    6.953   59.7    7.1   278   20.3 

    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.