P/2020 U2 (PANSTARRS) |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Today | 22 Dec 2024 | 24.6 | 5.679 AU | 6.620 AU | 16h56m | -28°10' | 15.7° | 2.7° | 256° |
Nearest approach | 22 Sep 2027 | 18.2 | 2.622 AU | 1.666 AU | 22h32m | -08°51' | 157.7° | 8.3° | 69° |
Perihelion | 1 May 2028 | 17.8 | 1.846 AU | 2.780 AU | 03h39m | +23°52' | 17.7° | 9.6° | 63° |
P/2020 U2 (PANSTARRS)- 2024-12-22
astro.vanbuitenen.nl
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 P/2020 U2 (PANSTARRS) are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.5114210
q (Perihelion distance) : 1.8457750
i (Inclination) : 6.41950
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 342.83730
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 84.73660
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 67.54088
B (Latitude of perihelion) : 6.39232
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2461892.66240
P (Orbital period in years) : 7.34
Epoch : 2024 Dec 21
Reference : MPEC 2021-N06
Classification(s): : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
Tisserand (Jupiter) : 2.833
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 (18.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 12.90 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]).
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
2024-12-22 00:00 UT 16 56 02.8 -28 09 40 6.622 5.679 15.4 2.6 256 24.6
2024-12-22 10:28 UT 16 56 25.2 -28 10 18 6.620 5.679 15.7 2.7 256 24.6
2024-12-23 00:00 UT 16 56 54.2 -28 11 07 6.617 5.679 16.2 2.8 257 24.6
2024-12-24 00:00 UT 16 57 45.5 -28 12 34 6.612 5.678 17.0 2.9 258 24.5
2024-12-25 00:00 UT 16 58 36.6 -28 13 60 6.607 5.678 17.7 3.0 258 24.5
2024-12-26 00:00 UT 16 59 27.7 -28 15 26 6.601 5.677 18.5 3.2 259 24.5
2024-12-27 00:00 UT 17 00 18.6 -28 16 51 6.595 5.677 19.3 3.3 260 24.5
2024-12-28 00:00 UT 17 01 09.5 -28 18 16 6.589 5.676 20.1 3.4 260 24.5
2024-12-29 00:00 UT 17 02 00.2 -28 19 40 6.583 5.675 20.9 3.5 261 24.5
2024-12-30 00:00 UT 17 02 50.7 -28 21 04 6.577 5.675 21.7 3.7 262 24.5
2024-12-31 00:00 UT 17 03 41.1 -28 22 28 6.570 5.674 22.5 3.8 262 24.5
2025-01-01 00:00 UT 17 04 31.4 -28 23 51 6.563 5.674 23.3 3.9 262 24.5
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.