A/2019 O2
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	6 Apr 2023	19.5	9.682 AU	9.205 AU	16h34m	+32°52'	115.8°	5.3°	243°
Nearest approach	16 May 2023	19.5	9.684 AU	9.048 AU	16h14m	+33°21'	126.6°	4.8°	193°
Today	25 Apr 2024	19.5	9.875 AU	9.084 AU	15h57m	+17°20'	139.8°	3.8°	222°

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 A/2019 O2 are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.8341130
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 9.6823570
            i (Inclination)                 : 93.31240
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 48.25770
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 129.60760
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 52.25191
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 50.27686
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460041.08650
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 445.92

            Epoch                           : 2024 Apr 24
            Reference                       : MPEC 2024-H50

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (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 indicates the expected brightness if this object is a comet (5.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve indicates the expected lightcurve for an asteroid (H=9.35; G=.15).

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
2024-04-25 00:00 UT   15 57 33.1   +17 20 09     9.086    9.874  139.7    3.8   223   19.5 
2024-04-25 09:06 UT   15 57 22.7   +17 20 11     9.084    9.875  139.8    3.8   222   19.5 
2024-04-26 00:00 UT   15 57 05.5   +17 20 14     9.082    9.875  140.1    3.7   221   19.5 
2024-04-27 00:00 UT   15 56 37.6   +17 20 16     9.079    9.876  140.5    3.7   219   19.5 
2024-04-28 00:00 UT   15 56 09.5   +17 20 15     9.076    9.877  140.9    3.7   218   19.5 
2024-04-29 00:00 UT   15 55 41.2   +17 20 10     9.073    9.878  141.3    3.7   216   19.5 
2024-04-30 00:00 UT   15 55 12.7   +17 20 02     9.070    9.879  141.6    3.6   215   19.5 
2024-05-01 00:00 UT   15 54 44.0   +17 19 49     9.068    9.880  141.9    3.6   213   19.5 
2024-05-02 00:00 UT   15 54 15.2   +17 19 34     9.065    9.881  142.2    3.6   211   19.5 
2024-05-03 00:00 UT   15 53 46.2   +17 19 14     9.064    9.882  142.5    3.6   210   19.5 
2024-05-04 00:00 UT   15 53 17.1   +17 18 51     9.062    9.883  142.7    3.5   208   19.4 
2024-05-05 00:00 UT   15 52 47.8   +17 18 24     9.061    9.884  142.9    3.5   206   19.4 

    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.