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C/2024 G2 (ATLAS)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Nearest approach9 Apr 202517.65.370 AU4.554 AU11h33m-39°44'141.0°6.7°42°
Perihelion13 Jun 202517.95.348 AU5.177 AU11h04m-23°30'94.2°10.9°114°
Today14 Oct 202518.45.425 AU6.346 AU11h54m-13°12'20.8°3.7°258°
C/2024 G2 (ATLAS)- 2025-10-14
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.)


Light curve

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations from COBS. 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. (7.0 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 log[r]). An additional green curve is displayed when an increase in apparent brightness is expected due to forward scattering of sunlight, which occurs when a dust-rich comet is located between the Earth and the Sun. (See Marcus 2007)



Charts

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.




Orbital elements

The orbital elements of C/2024 G2 (ATLAS) are: 

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9925400
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 5.3482680
    i (Inclination)                 : 122.12220
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 171.39850
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 328.74090
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 189.28730
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -26.07022
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460840.05390
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 19196.03

    Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 12
    Reference                       : MPC186631

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-10-14 00:00 UT   11 54 27.6   -13 12 57     6.346    5.425   20.7    3.7   258   18.4 
2025-10-14 04:32 UT   11 54 32.9   -13 12 42     6.346    5.425   20.8    3.7   258   18.4 
2025-10-15 00:00 UT   11 54 55.7   -13 11 38     6.342    5.426   21.3    3.8   259   18.4 
2025-10-16 00:00 UT   11 55 23.7   -13 10 19     6.338    5.427   22.0    3.9   261   18.4 
2025-10-17 00:00 UT   11 55 51.4   -13 09 01     6.334    5.428   22.7    4.1   262   18.4 
2025-10-18 00:00 UT   11 56 18.9   -13 07 43     6.329    5.430   23.4    4.2   264   18.4 
2025-10-19 00:00 UT   11 56 46.1   -13 06 25     6.324    5.431   24.2    4.3   265   18.4 
2025-10-20 00:00 UT   11 57 13.2   -13 05 07     6.319    5.432   24.9    4.4   266   18.4 
2025-10-21 00:00 UT   11 57 40.0   -13 03 49     6.314    5.433   25.7    4.6   267   18.4 
2025-10-22 00:00 UT   11 58 06.5   -13 02 31     6.308    5.435   26.4    4.7   268   18.4 
2025-10-23 00:00 UT   11 58 32.8   -13 01 13     6.302    5.436   27.2    4.8   269   18.4 
2025-10-24 00:00 UT   11 58 58.9   -12 59 55     6.296    5.437   28.0    4.9   270   18.3 




    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.

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