Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)
Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) is in the constellation of Auriga, at a distance of
Finder Charts
The sky charts below show, at different resolutions, the position of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) in the sky. Click on each chart to access the interactive star map tool.
The following map uses photographic imagery from the Digitized Sky Survey (DSS) to realistically visualize the precise position of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) against the stars in the background. The horizontal size of the map measures 60 arcminutes. Click on the image to access a more detailed full-screen view.
Equatorial 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
The following table lists today's rise, transit and set times of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
If you need to access this information frequently for your observations, you can create a simple customized Quick Access page, so that you can easily bookmark it in your browser favorites or add a shortcut to your mobile phones' home screen.
Distance from Earth
The distance of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) from Earth is currently
The following graph shows the distance of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) from Earth as a function of time. In the chart the distance is measured in Astronomical Units and the data is sampled with an interval of 1 day.
Note: The values in this chart may not be entirely accurate around the time of closest approach for objects passing very close to Earth at high speed (e.g., Near-Earth Objects).
The value of the distance of C/2012 S1 (ISON) from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the live position tracker.
Closest Approach to Earth
In the period between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2099, the closest approach of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) to Earth happened on Friday 27 December 2013 at a distance of 0.430624 Astronomical Units, or 64,420,498 kilometers:
Note: the values for the closest approach are computed with a sampling interval of 1 day.
Light Curve
Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) at epoch April, 30 2013 00:00 UTC (JD: 2456413.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 1.00000510 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 62.16289398° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 0.01246671 AU 1,864,994 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q | n.a. |
| Semi-major axis | a | n.a. |
| Orbital period | period | n.a. |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | November 28, 2013 2,456,625.2645 JD |
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 345.54119894206° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 295.68654180456° |
| Mean anomaly | M | -0.00172478090192° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.00000814°/day |
Orbit Visualization
The following chart is a 3D animated visualization of the orbit of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) relative to the other major objects in the Solar System. You can access more advanced features using our 3D Solar System Viewer.
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 20 2025 | 07h 24m 08s | +36° 45’ 38” | N.A. | Auriga |
| Jun 21 2025 | 07h 24m 17s | +36° 45’ 13” | N.A. | Auriga |
| Jun 22 2025 | 07h 24m 26s | +36° 44’ 49” | N.A. | Auriga |
| Jun 23 2025 | 07h 24m 35s | +36° 44’ 25” | N.A. | Auriga |
| Jun 24 2025 | 07h 24m 44s | +36° 44’ 01” | N.A. | Auriga |
| Jun 25 2025 | 07h 24m 52s | +36° 43’ 37” | N.A. | Auriga |
| Jun 26 2025 | 07h 25m 01s | +36° 43’ 15” | N.A. | Auriga |
| Jun 27 2025 | 07h 25m 10s | +36° 42’ 52” | N.A. | Auriga |
| Jun 28 2025 | 07h 25m 19s | +36° 42’ 29” | N.A. | Auriga |
| Jun 29 2025 | 07h 25m 28s | +36° 42’ 08” | N.A. | Auriga |
| Jun 30 2025 | 07h 25m 37s | +36° 41’ 47” | N.A. | Auriga |
| Jul 01 2025 | 07h 25m 46s | +36° 41’ 25” | N.A. | Auriga |
| Jul 02 2025 | 07h 25m 56s | +36° 41’ 04” | N.A. | Auriga |
| Jul 03 2025 | 07h 26m 05s | +36° 40’ 44” | N.A. | Auriga |
Additional Resources on TheSkyLive
- Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON): Complete reference information on TheSkyLive.com.
- Where is comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)?: Key information on where to find comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) in the sky.
- Distance of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) from Earth: Find out how far comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) is from Earth right now.
- How Bright is comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)?: Current visual brightness (magnitude) and apparent size.
- Rise and Set Times: Rise and set times of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) from your location.
- Interactive Sky Map: Planetarium-style interactive visualization of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)'s position in the sky.
- Live Position Tracker: High precision real time tracker of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)'s position using deep space imagery.
- Ephemeris: 15 days comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)'s computed ephemeris.
- Orbital elements: Information about comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) orbital parameters.
- Orbit Visualization: 3D interactive visualization showing the orbit of comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) with respect to the major Solar System objects.