C/2019 J2 (Palomar) - DISINTEGRATED
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Disintegration	6 Jul 2019	16.0	1.724 AU	1.766 AU	17h26m	+86°07'	70.8°	33.8°	158°
Nearest approach	14 Jul 2019	-	1.715 AU	1.746 AU	14h20m	+77°39'	71.3°	34.1°	106°
Perihelion	21 Jul 2019	-	1.713 AU	1.757 AU	13h59m	+70°16'	70.6°	34.0°	97°
Today	18 Jan 2026	-	17.770 AU	17.548 AU	09h47m	-54°25'	101.4°	3.1°	334°

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.)

Light curve

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations from COBS. This lightcurve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 12.4 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 log[r]). An additional green curve is displayed when an increase in apparent brightness is expected due to forward scattering of sunlight, which occurs when a dust-rich comet is located between the Earth and the Sun. (See Marcus 2007)

Charts

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.

Orbital elements

The orbital elements of C/2019 J2 (Palomar) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9892750
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.7128170
    i (Inclination)                 : 105.19380
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 25.42490
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 98.52120
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 85.66905
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 72.62905
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458685.74960
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 2018.23

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2021-R75

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-01-17 00:00 UT   09 47 24.4   -54 23 51    17.551   17.764  100.9    3.1   333   31.1 
2026-01-18 00:00 UT   09 47 02.4   -54 25 01    17.548   17.769  101.4    3.1   334   31.1 
2026-01-18 00:59 UT   09 47 01.4   -54 25 04    17.548   17.770  101.4    3.1   334   31.1 
2026-01-19 00:00 UT   09 46 40.1   -54 26 08    17.546   17.775  101.9    3.1   335   31.1 
2026-01-20 00:00 UT   09 46 17.6   -54 27 11    17.543   17.780  102.3    3.1   336   31.1 
2026-01-21 00:00 UT   09 45 54.9   -54 28 11    17.541   17.785  102.8    3.1   337   31.1 
2026-01-22 00:00 UT   09 45 32.1   -54 29 07    17.539   17.791  103.2    3.1   338   31.1 
2026-01-23 00:00 UT   09 45 09.1   -54 29 59    17.537   17.796  103.7    3.1   339   31.1 
2026-01-24 00:00 UT   09 44 45.9   -54 30 48    17.535   17.801  104.1    3.1   340   31.1 
2026-01-25 00:00 UT   09 44 22.6   -54 31 34    17.533   17.807  104.6    3.1   341   31.1 
2026-01-26 00:00 UT   09 43 59.1   -54 32 16    17.531   17.812  105.0    3.1   342   31.1 
2026-01-27 00:00 UT   09 43 35.5   -54 32 54    17.529   17.817  105.4    3.1   343   31.1 
2026-01-28 00:00 UT   09 43 11.8   -54 33 29    17.527   17.823  105.9    3.0   345   31.1 

    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.