C/2015 VL62 (Lemmon-Yeung-PANSTARRS) |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Nearest approach | 21 Aug 2017 | 13.5 | 2.726 AU | 1.745 AU | 21h33m | +04°20' | 162.2° | 6.5° | 157° |
Perihelion | 28 Aug 2017 | 13.5 | 2.725 AU | 1.766 AU | 21h06m | +01°19' | 157.2° | 8.2° | 119° |
Today | 26 Dec 2024 | 27.1 | 18.901 AU | 19.025 AU | 12h29m | -18°27' | 81.2° | 2.9° | 292° |
C/2015 VL62 (Lemmon-Yeung-PANSTARRS)- 2024-12-26
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 C/2015 VL62 (Lemmon-Yeung-PANSTARRS) are:
e (Eccentricity) : 1.0019130
q (Perihelion distance) : 2.7251090
i (Inclination) : 165.82460
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 95.21370
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 129.02130
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 145.32310
B (Latitude of perihelion) : 10.96789
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2457993.75870
Epoch : 2022 Sep 14
Reference : MPC115881
Classification(s): : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)
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 (8.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 7.89 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 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
2024-12-26 00:00 UT 12 29 29.7 -18 26 50 19.034 18.897 80.5 2.9 292 27.1
2024-12-26 18:31 UT 12 29 28.9 -18 27 24 19.025 18.901 81.2 2.9 292 27.1
2024-12-27 00:00 UT 12 29 28.7 -18 27 34 19.023 18.902 81.5 2.9 292 27.1
2024-12-28 00:00 UT 12 29 27.4 -18 28 17 19.011 18.908 82.5 3.0 292 27.1
2024-12-29 00:00 UT 12 29 26.0 -18 28 59 18.999 18.913 83.4 3.0 292 27.1
2024-12-30 00:00 UT 12 29 24.3 -18 29 40 18.987 18.918 84.4 3.0 293 27.1
2024-12-31 00:00 UT 12 29 22.4 -18 30 19 18.976 18.923 85.4 3.0 293 27.1
2025-01-01 00:00 UT 12 29 20.2 -18 30 57 18.964 18.928 86.4 3.0 293 27.1
2025-01-02 00:00 UT 12 29 17.9 -18 31 34 18.952 18.934 87.4 3.0 293 27.1
2025-01-03 00:00 UT 12 29 15.3 -18 32 09 18.940 18.939 88.4 3.0 294 27.1
2025-01-04 00:00 UT 12 29 12.5 -18 32 43 18.928 18.944 89.4 3.0 294 27.1
2025-01-05 00:00 UT 12 29 09.5 -18 33 16 18.916 18.949 90.4 3.0 294 27.1
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.