P/2021 Q5 (ATLAS) |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Perihelion | 30 Aug 2021 | 14.1 | 1.234 AU | 1.499 AU | 06h54m | +22°41' | 54.8° | 42.0° | 275° |
Nearest approach | 4 Feb 2022 | 16.1 | 2.123 AU | 1.281 AU | 11h05m | -13°33' | 138.6° | 17.9° | 315° |
Today | 20 Apr 2024 | 22.7 | 5.290 AU | 4.392 AU | 15h50m | -21°17' | 150.5° | 5.4° | 284° |
P/2021 Q5 (ATLAS)- 2024-04-20
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/2021 Q5 (ATLAS) are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.6246640
q (Perihelion distance) : 1.2336860
i (Inclination) : 10.73960
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 239.75730
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 180.93260
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 240.67357
B (Latitude of perihelion) : -0.17378
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2459457.39200
P (Orbital period in years) : 5.96
Epoch : 2024 Apr 19
Reference : MPEC 2022-C56
Classification(s): : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
Tisserand (Jupiter) : 2.803
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 (15.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 12.28 + 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
2024-04-20 00:00 UT 15 50 28.6 -21 18 34 4.395 5.289 150.0 5.5 284 22.7
2024-04-20 11:06 UT 15 50 13.2 -21 17 32 4.392 5.290 150.5 5.4 284 22.7
2024-04-21 00:00 UT 15 49 55.1 -21 16 19 4.388 5.290 151.1 5.3 284 22.7
2024-04-22 00:00 UT 15 49 21.1 -21 14 01 4.381 5.291 152.2 5.1 285 22.7
2024-04-23 00:00 UT 15 48 46.6 -21 11 41 4.374 5.292 153.3 4.9 285 22.7
2024-04-24 00:00 UT 15 48 11.5 -21 09 18 4.367 5.292 154.4 4.7 285 22.7
2024-04-25 00:00 UT 15 47 36.0 -21 06 53 4.361 5.293 155.6 4.5 285 22.7
2024-04-26 00:00 UT 15 46 59.9 -21 04 26 4.355 5.294 156.7 4.3 285 22.7
2024-04-27 00:00 UT 15 46 23.5 -21 01 56 4.349 5.295 157.8 4.1 285 22.7
2024-04-28 00:00 UT 15 45 46.6 -20 59 24 4.344 5.295 158.9 3.9 286 22.7
2024-04-29 00:00 UT 15 45 09.2 -20 56 50 4.339 5.296 160.0 3.7 286 22.7
2024-04-30 00:00 UT 15 44 31.5 -20 54 13 4.334 5.297 161.2 3.5 286 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.