Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF)
Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF) is in the constellation of
Sextans,
at a distance of
Finder Charts
View interactive star map
High precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF) is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF)?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF) 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 P/2021 N1 (ZTF) from Culpeper, United States (all times relative to the local timezone America/New_York):
- P/2021 N1 (ZTF) is below the horizon from Culpeper, United States.
- Given its current magnitude, P/2021 N1 (ZTF) is visible only through long exposure photography.
- Go to interactive sky chart
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 P/2021 N1 (ZTF) from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF) 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 P/2021 N1 (ZTF) 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 P/2021 N1 (ZTF) to Earth happens on Tue Aug 29 2073 at a distance of 0.122518 Astronomical Units, or 18,328,381 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 P/2021 N1 (ZTF), 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 P/2021 N1 (ZTF) at epoch 06 July 2021 00:00 UTC (JD: 2459402.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 0.67679260 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 11.50560974° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 0.96214666 AU 143,935,092 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q |
4.99159485 AU 746,731,962 km |
| Semi-major axis | a |
2.97687075 AU 445,333,527 km |
| Orbital period | period |
5.1363 years 1,876.0240 days |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2021-Jun-06 13:17:58 2,459,372.0541 JD |
| Next perihelion transit | 2026-Jul-26 13:52 2,461,248.0782 JD |
|
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 21.189770473752° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 301.15844868871° |
| Mean anomaly | M | 5.842412895812° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.19189520°/day |
View Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF) in the 3D Solar System Simulator
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF) 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 May 30 | 10h 22m 55s | +00° 07’ 26” | 33.44 | Sextans |
| 2025 May 31 | 10h 23m 13s | +00° 07’ 26” | 33.43 | Sextans |
| 2025 Jun 01 | 10h 23m 32s | +00° 07’ 19” | 33.43 | Sextans |
| 2025 Jun 02 | 10h 23m 51s | +00° 07’ 08” | 33.42 | Sextans |
| 2025 Jun 03 | 10h 24m 12s | +00° 06’ 51” | 33.42 | Sextans |
| 2025 Jun 04 | 10h 24m 33s | +00° 06’ 28” | 33.41 | Sextans |
| 2025 Jun 05 | 10h 24m 55s | +00° 05’ 59” | 33.40 | Sextans |
| 2025 Jun 06 | 10h 25m 18s | +00° 05’ 24” | 33.40 | Sextans |
| 2025 Jun 07 | 10h 25m 42s | +00° 04’ 45” | 33.39 | Sextans |
| 2025 Jun 08 | 10h 26m 06s | +00° 03’ 58” | 33.39 | Sextans |
| 2025 Jun 09 | 10h 26m 31s | +00° 03’ 07” | 33.38 | Sextans |
| 2025 Jun 10 | 10h 26m 57s | +00° 02’ 10” | 33.37 | Sextans |
| 2025 Jun 11 | 10h 27m 24s | +00° 01’ 08” | 33.37 | Sextans |
| 2025 Jun 12 | 10h 27m 52s | +00° 00’ 00” | 33.36 | Sextans |
Additional Resources on TheSkyLive
- Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF): Complete reference information on TheSkyLive.com.
- Where is Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF)?: Key information on locating Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF) in the sky.
- Distance from Earth: Find out how far Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF) is from Earth right now.
- How Bright is Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF)?: Current visual brightness (magnitude) and apparent size.
- Rise and Set Times: Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF)'s rise and set times from your location.
- Interactive Sky Map: planetarium-style interactive visualization of Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF)'s position in the sky.
- Live Position Tracker: high precision position tracker with deep space imagery.
- Ephemeris: 15 days Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF)'s computed ephemeris.
- Orbital elements: information about Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF) orbital parameters.
- Orbit Visualization. 3d interactive visualization showing the orbit of Comet P/2021 N1 (ZTF) with respect to the major Solar System objects.