C/2018 EN4 (NEOWISE) |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Nearest approach | 3 Mar 2018 | 20.2 | 1.887 AU | 1.249 AU | 06h44m | -13°02' | 114.3° | 28.6° | 76° |
Perihelion | 1 Jun 2018 | 18.8 | 1.461 AU | 1.990 AU | 07h45m | +46°16' | 45.0° | 29.4° | 74° |
Today | 29 Mar 2024 | 44.7 | 14.879 AU | 15.513 AU | 21h38m | -21°11' | 49.1° | 2.9° | 245° |
C/2018 EN4 (NEOWISE)- 2024-03-29
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/2018 EN4 (NEOWISE) are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.9183290
q (Perihelion distance) : 1.4607020
i (Inclination) : 81.99010
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 136.13300
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 35.00110
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 141.70593
B (Latitude of perihelion) : 34.61061
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2458271.12970
P (Orbital period in years) : 75.64
Epoch : 2023 Sep 24
Reference : MPC114602
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 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 (15.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 13.80 + 5 log[∆] + 21.31 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
2024-03-29 00:00 UT 21 38 51.4 -21 11 48 15.516 14.877 48.8 2.9 245 44.7
2024-03-29 08:29 UT 21 38 55.5 -21 11 46 15.513 14.879 49.1 2.9 245 44.7
2024-03-30 00:00 UT 21 39 02.9 -21 11 41 15.507 14.882 49.7 2.9 245 44.7
2024-03-31 00:00 UT 21 39 14.2 -21 11 35 15.499 14.886 50.6 3.0 245 44.7
2024-04-01 00:00 UT 21 39 25.3 -21 11 31 15.490 14.890 51.6 3.0 245 44.7
2024-04-02 00:00 UT 21 39 36.2 -21 11 27 15.482 14.895 52.5 3.1 246 44.8
2024-04-03 00:00 UT 21 39 47.0 -21 11 25 15.473 14.899 53.5 3.1 246 44.8
2024-04-04 00:00 UT 21 39 57.5 -21 11 24 15.463 14.904 54.4 3.1 246 44.8
2024-04-05 00:00 UT 21 40 07.9 -21 11 24 15.454 14.908 55.3 3.2 246 44.8
2024-04-06 00:00 UT 21 40 18.1 -21 11 25 15.445 14.913 56.3 3.2 246 44.8
2024-04-07 00:00 UT 21 40 28.0 -21 11 28 15.435 14.917 57.2 3.2 246 44.8
2024-04-08 00:00 UT 21 40 37.8 -21 11 32 15.425 14.921 58.2 3.3 247 44.8
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.