A/2019 Q2
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	22 Jul 2019	20.3	1.264 AU	1.357 AU	03h36m	+20°35'	62.4°	45.4°	257°
Nearest approach	28 Aug 2019	17.5	1.380 AU	0.438 AU	00h37m	-34°14'	141.3°	27.3°	301°
Today	19 Apr 2024	29.0	14.266 AU	13.313 AU	14h25m	-28°14'	160.8°	1.3°	331°

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 Q2 are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9783600
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.2637230
            i (Inclination)                 : 159.01280
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 188.04570
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 176.45690
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 191.35429
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 1.26829
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458687.08180
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 446.26

            Epoch                           : 2024 Apr 18
            Reference                       : MPC117072

            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 (18.00 + 5 log[∆] + 5.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve indicates the expected lightcurve for an asteroid (H=17.40; 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
2024-04-19 00:00 UT   14 25 38.8   -28 14 11    13.313   14.265  160.8    1.3   331   29.0 
2024-04-19 01:25 UT   14 25 37.6   -28 14 06    13.313   14.266  160.8    1.3   331   29.0 
2024-04-20 00:00 UT   14 25 18.2   -28 12 41    13.314   14.271  161.6    1.3   333   29.0 
2024-04-21 00:00 UT   14 24 57.6   -28 11 11    13.316   14.277  162.3    1.2   336   29.0 
2024-04-22 00:00 UT   14 24 36.9   -28 09 38    13.318   14.283  163.0    1.2   339   29.0 
2024-04-23 00:00 UT   14 24 16.2   -28 08 05    13.320   14.288  163.6    1.1   341   29.0 
2024-04-24 00:00 UT   14 23 55.5   -28 06 30    13.323   14.294  164.2    1.1   345   29.0 
2024-04-25 00:00 UT   14 23 34.9   -28 04 53    13.326   14.300  164.8    1.1   348   29.0 
2024-04-26 00:00 UT   14 23 14.2   -28 03 16    13.329   14.305  165.3    1.0   352   29.0 
2024-04-27 00:00 UT   14 22 53.5   -28 01 37    13.333   14.311  165.7    1.0   355   29.0 
2024-04-28 00:00 UT   14 22 32.8   -27 59 57    13.337   14.317  166.1    1.0   359   29.0 
2024-04-29 00:00 UT   14 22 12.2   -27 58 15    13.341   14.323  166.4    0.9     4   29.0 

    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.