381P/LINEAR-Spacewatch
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	8 Sep 2019	19.9	2.288 AU	1.292 AU	22h31m	+01°54'	168.5°	5.0°	133°
Perihelion	25 Sep 2019	19.9	2.282 AU	1.331 AU	22h29m	-04°03'	155.6°	10.5°	79°
Today	8 May 2025	27.7	10.521 AU	10.378 AU	09h26m	+01°42'	95.4°	5.5°	107°

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 381P/LINEAR-Spacewatch are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.6805700
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.2823450
            i (Inclination)                 : 28.33810
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 173.31980
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 173.84880
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 167.90106
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 2.91546
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458751.68990
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 19.10

            Epoch                           : 2025 May 07
            Reference                       : MPEC 2021-J28

            Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
            Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.240
        

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 based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from an MPEC, or the latest values provided by the minor planet center. (17.50 + 5 log[∆] + 5.00 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
2025-05-08 00:00 UT   09 26 26.4   +01 41 48    10.367   10.520   96.0    5.5   107   27.7 
2025-05-08 13:42 UT   09 26 28.4   +01 42 38    10.378   10.521   95.4    5.5   107   27.7 
2025-05-09 00:00 UT   09 26 30.0   +01 43 15    10.386   10.522   95.0    5.5   108   27.7 
2025-05-10 00:00 UT   09 26 34.0   +01 44 41    10.404   10.525   94.1    5.5   108   27.7 
2025-05-11 00:00 UT   09 26 38.4   +01 46 04    10.423   10.527   93.2    5.5   108   27.7 
2025-05-12 00:00 UT   09 26 43.1   +01 47 25    10.441   10.529   92.2    5.5   108   27.7 
2025-05-13 00:00 UT   09 26 48.1   +01 48 44    10.459   10.531   91.3    5.5   108   27.7 
2025-05-14 00:00 UT   09 26 53.5   +01 50 01    10.478   10.533   90.4    5.5   109   27.7 
2025-05-15 00:00 UT   09 26 59.2   +01 51 16    10.496   10.535   89.4    5.5   109   27.7 
2025-05-16 00:00 UT   09 27 05.3   +01 52 29    10.515   10.537   88.5    5.5   109   27.7 
2025-05-17 00:00 UT   09 27 11.7   +01 53 40    10.533   10.539   87.6    5.5   109   27.7 
2025-05-18 00:00 UT   09 27 18.4   +01 54 49    10.552   10.542   86.7    5.5   109   27.7 

    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.