A/2020 M4
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Perihelion23 Nov 202022.15.947 AU6.887 AU16h16m-04°31'16.6°2.7°15°
Nearest approach4 May 202121.66.056 AU5.102 AU15h23m+02°35'159.3°3.4°205°
Today29 Mar 202423.910.070 AU9.168 AU10h51m+05°33'153.3°2.6°109°
A/2020 M4- 2024-03-29
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 A/2020 M4 are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0008590
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 5.9470440
            i (Inclination)                 : 160.11810
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 348.62330
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 104.58330
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 63.15870
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 19.21573
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459177.33690

            Epoch                           : 2024 Mar 28
            Reference                       : MPEC 2023-N01

            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 indicates the expected brightness if this object is a comet (14.50 + 5 log[∆] + 5.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve indicates the expected lightcurve for an asteroid (H=13.80; 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
2024-03-29 00:00 UT   10 52 09.6   +05 32 52     9.163   10.068  153.7    2.5   109   23.9 
2024-03-29 10:00 UT   10 51 57.1   +05 33 51     9.168   10.070  153.3    2.6   109   23.9 
2024-03-30 00:00 UT   10 51 39.6   +05 35 13     9.175   10.073  152.6    2.6   109   23.9 
2024-03-31 00:00 UT   10 51 09.8   +05 37 33     9.188   10.078  151.5    2.7   109   23.9 
2024-04-01 00:00 UT   10 50 40.3   +05 39 51     9.202   10.083  150.4    2.8   110   23.9 
2024-04-02 00:00 UT   10 50 11.1   +05 42 08     9.215   10.088  149.3    2.9   110   23.9 
2024-04-03 00:00 UT   10 49 42.2   +05 44 23     9.229   10.093  148.2    3.0   110   24.0 
2024-04-04 00:00 UT   10 49 13.6   +05 46 36     9.243   10.097  147.1    3.1   110   24.0 
2024-04-05 00:00 UT   10 48 45.3   +05 48 48     9.258   10.102  146.0    3.2   110   24.0 
2024-04-06 00:00 UT   10 48 17.3   +05 50 58     9.272   10.107  144.9    3.3   110   24.0 
2024-04-07 00:00 UT   10 47 49.7   +05 53 06     9.287   10.112  143.8    3.4   110   24.0 
2024-04-08 00:00 UT   10 47 22.3   +05 55 12     9.303   10.117  142.7    3.4   110   24.0 


    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.