2I/Borisov
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Perihelion8 Dec 201915.62.007 AU1.994 AU11h28m-18°19'76.4°28.5°290°
Nearest approach28 Dec 201915.72.053 AU1.937 AU11h59m-33°17'82.4°28.3°293°
Today29 Mar 202433.531.239 AU31.111 AU18h07m-54°56'96.2°1.8°273°
2I/Borisov- 2024-03-29
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 2I/Borisov are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 3.3566330
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.0065480
            i (Inclination)                 : 44.05270
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 308.14800
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 209.12510
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 329.97095
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -19.78093
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458826.05480

            Epoch                           : 2019 Dec 23
            Reference                       : MPEC 2023-L37

            Classification(s):              : Interstellar
        

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 (11.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 11.11 + 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
2024-03-29 00:00 UT   18 07 08.0   -54 56 48    31.111   31.238   96.2    1.8   273   33.5 
2024-03-29 00:45 UT   18 07 07.9   -54 56 50    31.111   31.239   96.2    1.8   273   33.5 
2024-03-30 00:00 UT   18 07 07.1   -54 57 41    31.116   31.257   97.0    1.8   274   33.5 
2024-03-31 00:00 UT   18 07 05.9   -54 58 34    31.120   31.276   97.9    1.8   274   33.5 
2024-04-01 00:00 UT   18 07 04.6   -54 59 27    31.125   31.295   98.7    1.8   275   33.5 
2024-04-02 00:00 UT   18 07 03.0   -55 00 19    31.130   31.314   99.5    1.8   275   33.5 
2024-04-03 00:00 UT   18 07 01.2   -55 01 12    31.134   31.333  100.4    1.8   276   33.5 
2024-04-04 00:00 UT   18 06 59.2   -55 02 04    31.139   31.352  101.2    1.8   276   33.5 
2024-04-05 00:00 UT   18 06 56.9   -55 02 56    31.144   31.371  102.1    1.8   277   33.5 
2024-04-06 00:00 UT   18 06 54.5   -55 03 48    31.149   31.391  102.9    1.8   277   33.5 
2024-04-07 00:00 UT   18 06 51.8   -55 04 40    31.154   31.410  103.7    1.8   278   33.5 
2024-04-08 00:00 UT   18 06 48.8   -55 05 31    31.159   31.429  104.6    1.8   278   33.5 


    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.