402P/LINEAR |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Perihelion | 15 Dec 2021 | 16.4 | 3.940 AU | 3.028 AU | 06h27m | +01°54' | 154.8° | 6.1° | 329° |
Nearest approach | 28 Dec 2021 | 16.3 | 3.941 AU | 3.004 AU | 06h19m | +02°58' | 159.6° | 5.0° | 5° |
Today | 31 Oct 2024 | 21.3 | 6.516 AU | 7.334 AU | 13h46m | +16°55' | 32.2° | 4.7° | 344° |
402P/LINEAR- 2024-10-31
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 402P/LINEAR are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.4400300
q (Perihelion distance) : 3.9404730
i (Inclination) : 30.83030
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 123.05740
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 326.91520
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 93.83267
B (Latitude of perihelion) : -16.24598
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2459564.21690
P (Orbital period in years) : 18.67
Epoch : 2024 Oct 29
Reference : MPEC 2024-LE0
Classification(s): : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
Tisserand (Jupiter) : 2.533
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 (9.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 5.59 + 5 log[∆] + 14.03 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
2024-10-31 00:00 UT 13 46 24.5 +16 55 54 7.334 6.516 32.2 4.7 344 21.3
2024-10-31 01:07 UT 13 46 26.5 +16 55 47 7.334 6.516 32.2 4.7 344 21.3
2024-11-01 00:00 UT 13 47 07.5 +16 53 24 7.332 6.519 32.7 4.7 343 21.3
2024-11-02 00:00 UT 13 47 50.4 +16 50 58 7.329 6.522 33.2 4.8 341 21.3
2024-11-03 00:00 UT 13 48 33.2 +16 48 35 7.327 6.525 33.7 4.8 340 21.3
2024-11-04 00:00 UT 13 49 15.9 +16 46 16 7.324 6.528 34.2 4.9 339 21.3
2024-11-05 00:00 UT 13 49 58.5 +16 44 01 7.321 6.531 34.8 5.0 338 21.3
2024-11-06 00:00 UT 13 50 41.0 +16 41 50 7.317 6.534 35.3 5.0 337 21.3
2024-11-07 00:00 UT 13 51 23.3 +16 39 43 7.314 6.537 35.9 5.1 336 21.4
2024-11-08 00:00 UT 13 52 05.6 +16 37 39 7.310 6.540 36.4 5.2 335 21.4
2024-11-09 00:00 UT 13 52 47.7 +16 35 40 7.307 6.543 37.0 5.2 334 21.4
2024-11-10 00:00 UT 13 53 29.7 +16 33 44 7.303 6.546 37.6 5.3 333 21.4
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.