Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard)
Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) is in the constellation of
Cepheus,
at a distance of
Finder Charts
View interactive star map
High precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard)?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) in the sky and additional links to sky charts.
Celestial Coordinates
Apparent
J2000
Additional Information
The observed values of Magnitude, Coma Diameter and Tail Length are derived from the most recent observation recorded at the Comet Observers Database. The value of Predicted Magnitude comes from the JPL Horizons ephemerides service and, in the case of comets, might be inaccurate given the highly dynamic and unpredictable behavior of these objects. When available, please refer to the Observed Magnitude value and consider the Predicted Magnitude as a directional indication. We acknowledge with thanks the comet observations from the COBS Comet Observation Database contributed by observers worldwide and used in this table to report recent comet observations.
Rise and Set Times
Today's rise, transit and set times of Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- C/2023 X1 (Leonard) is above the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Right now it is placed in the North-North-East direction at an altitude of 36.13° above the horizon.
- Given its current magnitude, C/2023 X1 (Leonard) is visible only through long exposure photography.
- Go to interactive sky chart
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Distance from Earth
The distance of Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) from Earth as a function of time. In the chart the distance data is measured in Astronomical Units and sampled with an interval of 1 day.
The value of the reported distance might be somewhat inaccurate around the times of closest approach for objects passing extremely close to Earth. The value of the distance of C/2023 X1 (Leonard) from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Closest Approach
Between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2099, the closest approach of Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) to Earth happens on Sat Dec 23 2023 at a distance of 1.025804 Astronomical Units, or 153,458,147 kilometers:
NOTE: values for the closest approach are computed with a sampling interval of 1 day.
Light Curve
The following chart is the predicted light curve (visual magnitude as a function of time) of Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard), according to the most recent ephemerides data. Magnitude data is sampled with a 2 days interval and there might be inaccuracies for objects changing brightness very rapidly during the course of a few days. For comets there could be large discrepancies between the observed and predicted brightness because of their highly dynamic behaviour.
Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) at epoch 06 December 2023 00:00 UTC (JD: 2460285.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 1.00088038 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 110.63600600° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 0.95414015 AU 142,737,335 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q | n.a. |
| Semi-major axis | a | n.a. |
| Orbital period | period | n.a. |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2023-Oct-18 07:34:35 2,460,235.8157 JD |
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 321.88728060658° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 137.10488531173° |
| Mean anomaly | M | 0.0013724966610002° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.00002762°/day |
View Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) in the 3D Solar System Simulator
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) computed for the past and next 7 days, with a 24 hours interval. Apparent celestial coordinates are provided.
| Date | Right AscensionR.A. | DeclinationDec. | MagnitudeMag | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Jun 11 | 23h 02m 57s | +68° 30’ 10” | 29.78 | Cepheus |
| 2025 Jun 12 | 23h 02m 35s | +68° 36’ 10” | 29.78 | Cepheus |
| 2025 Jun 13 | 23h 02m 12s | +68° 42’ 07” | 29.79 | Cepheus |
| 2025 Jun 14 | 23h 01m 48s | +68° 48’ 01” | 29.80 | Cepheus |
| 2025 Jun 15 | 23h 01m 22s | +68° 53’ 54” | 29.80 | Cepheus |
| 2025 Jun 16 | 23h 00m 54s | +68° 59’ 44” | 29.81 | Cepheus |
| 2025 Jun 17 | 23h 00m 26s | +69° 05’ 31” | 29.82 | Cepheus |
| 2025 Jun 18 | 22h 59m 55s | +69° 11’ 14” | 29.82 | Cepheus |
| 2025 Jun 19 | 22h 59m 22s | +69° 16’ 55” | 29.83 | Cepheus |
| 2025 Jun 20 | 22h 58m 49s | +69° 22’ 33” | 29.83 | Cepheus |
| 2025 Jun 21 | 22h 58m 14s | +69° 28’ 06” | 29.84 | Cepheus |
| 2025 Jun 22 | 22h 57m 36s | +69° 33’ 37” | 29.84 | Cepheus |
| 2025 Jun 23 | 22h 56m 57s | +69° 39’ 04” | 29.85 | Cepheus |
| 2025 Jun 24 | 22h 56m 17s | +69° 44’ 26” | 29.86 | Cepheus |
Additional Resources on TheSkyLive
- Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard): Complete reference information on TheSkyLive.com.
- Where is Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard)?: Key information on where to find Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) in the sky.
- Distance from Earth: Find out how far Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) is from Earth right now.
- How Bright is Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard)?: Current visual brightness (magnitude) and apparent size.
- Rise and Set Times: Rise and set times of Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) from your location.
- Interactive Sky Map: Planetarium-style interactive visualization of Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard)'s position in the sky.
- Live Position Tracker: High precision position tracker with deep space imagery.
- Ephemeris: 15 days Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard)'s computed ephemeris.
- Orbital elements: Information about Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) orbital parameters.
- Orbit Visualization: 3D interactive visualization showing the orbit of Comet C/2023 X1 (Leonard) with respect to the major Solar System objects.