226P/Pigott-LINEAR-Kowalski
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Nearest approach5 Nov 202314.11.837 AU1.210 AU00h58m-47°25'112.7°29.9°27°
Perihelion27 Dec 202314.31.774 AU1.464 AU00h45m-12°24'90.7°33.7°66°
Today5 Feb 202519.03.592 AU3.003 AU13h22m+53°39'119.4°13.8°256°
226P/Pigott-LINEAR-Kowalski- 2025-02-05
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 226P/Pigott-LINEAR-Kowalski are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.5289480
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.7737110
            i (Inclination)                 : 44.04530
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 54.01090
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 341.03130
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 40.13329
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -13.06078
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460305.60890
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 7.31

            Epoch                           : 2025 Feb 04
            Reference                       : MPEC 2024-MB8

            Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
            Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.420
        

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 (12.50 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 11.01 + 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
2025-02-05 00:00 UT   13 22 47.7   +53 34 14     3.003    3.590  119.2   13.9   257   18.9 
2025-02-05 11:54 UT   13 22 34.6   +53 39 01     3.003    3.592  119.4   13.8   256   19.0 
2025-02-06 00:00 UT   13 22 20.7   +53 43 51     3.004    3.595  119.6   13.8   256   19.0 
2025-02-07 00:00 UT   13 21 51.6   +53 53 24     3.004    3.600  120.0   13.7   254   19.0 
2025-02-08 00:00 UT   13 21 20.3   +54 02 51     3.005    3.604  120.3   13.7   253   19.0 
2025-02-09 00:00 UT   13 20 46.9   +54 12 12     3.005    3.609  120.6   13.6   252   19.0 
2025-02-10 00:00 UT   13 20 11.3   +54 21 26     3.006    3.614  120.9   13.5   250   19.0 
2025-02-11 00:00 UT   13 19 33.7   +54 30 33     3.007    3.619  121.2   13.5   249   19.0 
2025-02-12 00:00 UT   13 18 53.9   +54 39 33     3.009    3.624  121.5   13.4   248   19.0 
2025-02-13 00:00 UT   13 18 12.0   +54 48 25     3.010    3.629  121.8   13.4   246   19.0 
2025-02-14 00:00 UT   13 17 28.0   +54 57 09     3.012    3.634  122.1   13.3   245   19.0 
2025-02-15 00:00 UT   13 16 41.9   +55 05 44     3.013    3.638  122.3   13.3   243   19.0 

































































    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.