P/2020 W1 (Rankin)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Nearest approach6 Oct 201920.55.347 AU4.366 AU01h04m-06°28'167.7°2.3°341°
Perihelion10 Apr 202021.25.299 AU6.276 AU01h57m+02°19'11.8°2.2°119°
Today28 Mar 202422.77.181 AU6.649 AU08h38m+20°26'118.6°7.0°106°
P/2020 W1 (Rankin)- 2024-03-28
astro.vanbuitenen.nl


 
-1 month
-1 week
-1 day
Now
+1 day
+1 week
+1 month

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 W1 (Rankin) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.2661870
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 5.2986970
            i (Inclination)                 : 10.78170
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 124.39420
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 265.22050
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 209.52922
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -10.74376
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458949.68720
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 19.40

            Epoch                           : 2024 Mar 27
            Reference                       : MPEC 2021-BE3

            Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
            Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.952
        

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 light curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from an MPEC, or the latest values provided by the minor planet center. (10.00 + 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
2024-03-28 00:00 UT   08 38 36.9   +20 26 04     6.639    7.180  119.3    7.0   106   22.7 
2024-03-28 15:00 UT   08 38 34.0   +20 26 28     6.649    7.181  118.6    7.0   106   22.7 
2024-03-29 00:00 UT   08 38 32.4   +20 26 42     6.655    7.182  118.3    7.0   106   22.7 
2024-03-30 00:00 UT   08 38 28.4   +20 27 18     6.671    7.184  117.3    7.1   106   22.7 
2024-03-31 00:00 UT   08 38 25.1   +20 27 51     6.687    7.185  116.2    7.2   106   22.7 
2024-04-01 00:00 UT   08 38 22.3   +20 28 22     6.704    7.187  115.2    7.2   106   22.7 
2024-04-02 00:00 UT   08 38 20.0   +20 28 51     6.720    7.189  114.3    7.3   106   22.7 
2024-04-03 00:00 UT   08 38 18.4   +20 29 17     6.737    7.190  113.3    7.3   106   22.7 
2024-04-04 00:00 UT   08 38 17.3   +20 29 41     6.753    7.192  112.3    7.4   105   22.7 
2024-04-05 00:00 UT   08 38 16.8   +20 30 02     6.770    7.194  111.3    7.4   105   22.7 
2024-04-06 00:00 UT   08 38 16.9   +20 30 22     6.787    7.196  110.3    7.5   105   22.7 
2024-04-07 00:00 UT   08 38 17.5   +20 30 39     6.804    7.197  109.3    7.5   105   22.7 


    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.