C/2020 F8 (SWAN) - DISINTEGRATED
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Disintegration2 May 20205.20.739 AU0.695 AU00h04m-12°49'47.1°89.2°234°
Nearest approach11 May 20205.70.573 AU0.563 AU01h18m+16°55'27.5°125.5°263°
Perihelion26 May 20207.60.431 AU0.908 AU04h23m+46°17'25.2°91.1°5°
Today2 Dec 2024-14.955 AU14.285 AU04h22m-26°34'131.3°2.8°4°
C/2020 F8 (SWAN)- 2024-12-02
astro.vanbuitenen.nl


 
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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/2020 F8 (SWAN) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0000950
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.4312980
            i (Inclination)                 : 110.55060
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 259.79550
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 68.08200
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 218.69296
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 60.30576
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458995.83460

            Epoch                           : 2024 Nov 30
            Reference                       : MPEC 2023-J29

            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 (10.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 7.66 + 5 log[∆] + 12.39 log[r]). The additional green curve shows the effect of forward scattering, occurring when the comet is between the earth and the sun, for a gas-to-dust light ratio δ90 of 0.30. (See Marcus 2007)


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.