A/2024 D1
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Today7 Sep 202421.110.070 AU10.792 AU10h25m+47°09'42.4°3.9°345°
Nearest approach9 Nov 202719.16.705 AU5.954 AU01h21m+56°43'136.2°5.9°146°
Perihelion5 Dec 202719.16.703 AU6.057 AU00h55m+51°49'127.5°6.7°102°
A/2024 D1- 2024-09-07
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/2024 D1 are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9962150
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 6.7025770
            i (Inclination)                 : 132.45040
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 179.66810
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 125.74010
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 222.83295
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 36.79144
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2461744.55620
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 74518.46

            Epoch                           : 2024 Sep 06
            Reference                       : MPEC 2024-EG1

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)
        

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 (11.00 + 5 log[∆] + 5.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve indicates the expected lightcurve for an asteroid (H=10.60; 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
2024-09-07 00:00 UT   10 24 49.2   +47 08 43    10.803   10.075   41.9    3.8   346   21.1 
2024-09-07 23:58 UT   10 25 12.7   +47 09 28    10.792   10.070   42.4    3.9   345   21.1 
2024-09-08 00:00 UT   10 25 12.8   +47 09 28    10.792   10.070   42.4    3.9   345   21.1 
2024-09-09 00:00 UT   10 25 36.2   +47 10 16    10.781   10.066   42.9    3.9   344   21.1 
2024-09-10 00:00 UT   10 25 59.6   +47 11 07    10.769   10.062   43.5    3.9   343   21.1 
2024-09-11 00:00 UT   10 26 23.0   +47 12 02    10.757   10.057   44.0    4.0   342   21.1 
2024-09-12 00:00 UT   10 26 46.3   +47 13 00    10.745   10.053   44.6    4.0   341   21.1 
2024-09-13 00:00 UT   10 27 09.6   +47 14 02    10.733   10.048   45.2    4.1   340   21.1 
2024-09-14 00:00 UT   10 27 32.7   +47 15 08    10.720   10.044   45.7    4.1   339   21.1 
2024-09-15 00:00 UT   10 27 55.8   +47 16 17    10.708   10.039   46.3    4.2   338   21.1 
2024-09-16 00:00 UT   10 28 18.8   +47 17 30    10.695   10.035   46.9    4.2   337   21.1 
2024-09-17 00:00 UT   10 28 41.8   +47 18 46    10.682   10.031   47.5    4.2   336   21.1 


    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.