12P/Pons-Brooks |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Perihelion | 21 Apr 2024 | 3.7 | 0.781 AU | 1.605 AU | 03h28m | +09°50' | 22.7° | 29.7° | 97° |
Nearest approach | 2 Jun 2024 | 5.5 | 1.099 AU | 1.546 AU | 05h52m | -19°32' | 45.2° | 40.9° | 157° |
Today | 21 Dec 2024 | 14.1 | 3.558 AU | 4.357 AU | 16h18m | -48°03' | 31.7° | 8.4° | 228° |
12P/Pons-Brooks- 2024-12-21
astro.vanbuitenen.nl
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 12P/Pons-Brooks are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.9546010
q (Perihelion distance) : 0.7808790
i (Inclination) : 74.19300
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 255.85490
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 198.99480
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 261.21166
B (Latitude of perihelion) : -18.25062
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2460421.62820
P (Orbital period in years) : 71.34
Epoch : 2024 Dec 20
Reference : MPEC 2024-UA9
Classification(s): : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); Halley type (P < 200 years)
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 light curve is estimated manually by the author. (4.00 + 5 log[∆] + 12.50 log[r]).
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
2024-12-21 00:00 UT 16 17 29.7 -48 02 57 4.354 3.553 31.5 8.3 227 14.1
2024-12-21 12:08 UT 16 18 11.1 -48 03 28 4.357 3.558 31.7 8.4 228 14.1
2024-12-22 00:00 UT 16 18 51.4 -48 03 60 4.360 3.563 31.9 8.4 229 14.1
2024-12-23 00:00 UT 16 20 12.4 -48 05 04 4.366 3.574 32.3 8.5 230 14.1
2024-12-24 00:00 UT 16 21 32.6 -48 06 10 4.372 3.585 32.7 8.5 231 14.1
2024-12-25 00:00 UT 16 22 52.1 -48 07 17 4.378 3.595 33.2 8.6 232 14.2
2024-12-26 00:00 UT 16 24 10.9 -48 08 25 4.383 3.606 33.6 8.7 233 14.2
2024-12-27 00:00 UT 16 25 28.9 -48 09 35 4.389 3.617 34.1 8.8 234 14.2
2024-12-28 00:00 UT 16 26 46.1 -48 10 45 4.394 3.627 34.6 8.8 235 14.2
2024-12-29 00:00 UT 16 28 02.6 -48 11 57 4.398 3.638 35.0 8.9 236 14.2
2024-12-30 00:00 UT 16 29 18.3 -48 13 10 4.403 3.648 35.5 9.0 237 14.2
2024-12-31 00:00 UT 16 30 33.2 -48 14 25 4.407 3.659 36.1 9.1 237 14.3
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.