38P/Stephan-Oterma |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Perihelion | 13 Nov 2018 | 6.8 | 1.578 AU | 0.825 AU | 07h26m | +21°39' | 120.5° | 32.7° | 279° |
Nearest approach | 15 Dec 2018 | 6.9 | 1.631 AU | 0.734 AU | 08h15m | +34°50' | 142.9° | 21.4° | 263° |
Today | 8 Sep 2024 | 40.9 | 13.499 AU | 13.897 AU | 15h19m | -10°37' | 64.8° | 3.9° | 102° |
38P/Stephan-Oterma- 2024-09-08
astro.vanbuitenen.nl
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 38P/Stephan-Oterma are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.8598200
q (Perihelion distance) : 1.5777150
i (Inclination) : 18.40080
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 77.87590
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 359.54330
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 77.44255
B (Latitude of perihelion) : -0.14416
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2458435.88360
P (Orbital period in years) : 37.76
Epoch : 2024 Sep 06
Reference : MPEC 2018-S50
Classification(s): : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); Halley type (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 is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (3.50 + 5 log[∆] + 30.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 1.24 + 5 log[∆] + 30.00 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
2024-09-08 00:00 UT 15 19 00.8 -10 37 35 13.895 13.499 64.9 3.9 102 40.9
2024-09-08 02:32 UT 15 19 01.7 -10 37 43 13.897 13.499 64.8 3.9 102 40.9
2024-09-09 00:00 UT 15 19 09.8 -10 38 50 13.913 13.502 64.0 3.8 101 40.9
2024-09-10 00:00 UT 15 19 19.1 -10 40 06 13.932 13.506 63.1 3.8 101 40.9
2024-09-11 00:00 UT 15 19 28.6 -10 41 22 13.950 13.509 62.1 3.8 101 40.9
2024-09-12 00:00 UT 15 19 38.3 -10 42 39 13.968 13.513 61.2 3.7 101 40.9
2024-09-13 00:00 UT 15 19 48.3 -10 43 56 13.986 13.517 60.3 3.7 101 40.9
2024-09-14 00:00 UT 15 19 58.5 -10 45 14 14.004 13.520 59.4 3.7 101 40.9
2024-09-15 00:00 UT 15 20 08.9 -10 46 32 14.022 13.524 58.5 3.6 100 40.9
2024-09-16 00:00 UT 15 20 19.5 -10 47 50 14.040 13.527 57.6 3.6 100 40.9
2024-09-17 00:00 UT 15 20 30.4 -10 49 10 14.057 13.531 56.6 3.6 100 40.9
2024-09-18 00:00 UT 15 20 41.4 -10 50 29 14.074 13.534 55.7 3.5 100 40.9
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.