144P/Kushida
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Nearest approach12 Dec 20239.31.489 AU0.573 AU02h48m+15°26'144.4°22.7°72°
Perihelion25 Jan 20249.11.399 AU0.669 AU03h52m+15°14'114.2°39.9°76°
Today21 Dec 202420.73.376 AU4.078 AU15h10m-19°06'39.4°10.7°284°
144P/Kushida- 2024-12-21
astro.vanbuitenen.nl


 
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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 144P/Kushida are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.6349570
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.3990660
            i (Inclination)                 : 3.93200
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 242.92360
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 216.34170
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 279.20087
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -2.32891
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460335.29970
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 7.50

            Epoch                           : 2024 Dec 20
            Reference                       : MPEC 2024-M41

            Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
            Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.681
        

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 gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (8.50 + 5 log[∆] + 20.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 7.03 + 5 log[∆] + 20.00 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   15 10 04.9   -19 03 37     4.080    3.372   39.0   10.6   284   20.6 
2024-12-21 14:22 UT   15 10 46.0   -19 06 11     4.078    3.376   39.4   10.7   284   20.7 
2024-12-22 00:00 UT   15 11 13.5   -19 07 55     4.076    3.379   39.7   10.7   284   20.7 
2024-12-23 00:00 UT   15 12 21.7   -19 12 09     4.073    3.385   40.4   10.9   284   20.7 
2024-12-24 00:00 UT   15 13 29.3   -19 16 21     4.069    3.391   41.2   11.0   284   20.7 
2024-12-25 00:00 UT   15 14 36.5   -19 20 28     4.065    3.397   41.9   11.2   284   20.7 
2024-12-26 00:00 UT   15 15 43.2   -19 24 33     4.061    3.403   42.7   11.3   284   20.7 
2024-12-27 00:00 UT   15 16 49.4   -19 28 34     4.056    3.410   43.4   11.4   284   20.7 
2024-12-28 00:00 UT   15 17 55.0   -19 32 31     4.052    3.416   44.2   11.6   284   20.7 
2024-12-29 00:00 UT   15 19 00.2   -19 36 25     4.047    3.422   44.9   11.7   284   20.8 
2024-12-30 00:00 UT   15 20 04.8   -19 40 16     4.042    3.428   45.7   11.8   284   20.8 
2024-12-31 00:00 UT   15 21 08.8   -19 44 03     4.037    3.434   46.4   12.0   284   20.8 

































































    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.