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A/2024 G8
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Nearest approach7 Apr 202419.41.582 AU0.627 AU11h17m-17°15'151.8°17.4°72°
Perihelion15 Jun 202421.41.172 AU1.562 AU06h54m-21°28'48.6°40.6°156°
Today20 Oct 202526.25.866 AU4.971 AU23h47m+19°54'151.5°4.6°106°
A/2024 G8- 2025-10-20
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 displayed light curve is calculated under the assumption that the object remains inactive. (H=18.50; G=.15).



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 A/2024 G8 are: 

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9916910
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.1724700
    i (Inclination)                 : 97.42420
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 11.25130
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 249.15600
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : -7.49458
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -67.92886
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460477.07210
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 1676.21

    Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 18
    Reference                       : MPEC 2024-Q05

    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
2025-10-19 00:00 UT   23 48 21.2   +19 58 31     4.954    5.856  152.5    4.5   108   26.2 
2025-10-20 00:00 UT   23 47 35.5   +19 54 57     4.970    5.865  151.6    4.6   106   26.2 
2025-10-20 02:44 UT   23 47 30.3   +19 54 32     4.971    5.866  151.5    4.6   106   26.2 
2025-10-21 00:00 UT   23 46 50.5   +19 51 21     4.985    5.874  150.7    4.8   104   26.2 
2025-10-22 00:00 UT   23 46 06.2   +19 47 45     5.001    5.883  149.9    4.9   103   26.3 
2025-10-23 00:00 UT   23 45 22.6   +19 44 09     5.017    5.892  148.9    5.0   101   26.3 
2025-10-24 00:00 UT   23 44 39.9   +19 40 31     5.033    5.901  148.0    5.1   100   26.3 
2025-10-25 00:00 UT   23 43 57.8   +19 36 54     5.049    5.909  147.1    5.2    98   26.3 
2025-10-26 00:00 UT   23 43 16.6   +19 33 16     5.066    5.918  146.1    5.4    97   26.3 
2025-10-27 00:00 UT   23 42 36.1   +19 29 39     5.083    5.927  145.2    5.5    96   26.3 
2025-10-28 00:00 UT   23 41 56.4   +19 26 01     5.101    5.936  144.2    5.6    95   26.4 
2025-10-29 00:00 UT   23 41 17.6   +19 22 25     5.119    5.945  143.3    5.7    94   26.4 
2025-10-30 00:00 UT   23 40 39.5   +19 18 48     5.137    5.954  142.3    5.9    93   26.4 




    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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