473P/NEAT
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	4 Nov 2023	16.0	2.008 AU	1.414 AU	23h38m	-38°46'	111.9°	27.3°	47°
Perihelion	26 Feb 2024	12.8	1.407 AU	1.911 AU	00h16m	+29°04'	45.5°	30.1°	37°
Today	4 Apr 2026	32.4	6.847 AU	5.862 AU	13h29m	-11°49'	169.1°	1.6°	304°

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. This lightcurve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 7.7 + 5 log[∆] + 25.1 log[r]). An additional green curve is displayed when an increase in apparent brightness is expected due to forward scattering of sunlight, which occurs when a dust-rich comet is located between the Earth and the Sun. (See Marcus 2007)

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 473P/NEAT are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.8235300
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.4071650
    i (Inclination)                 : 56.87450
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 22.19130
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 42.95330
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 49.15665
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 34.79609
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460366.67360
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 22.52

    Epoch                           : 2026 Apr 03
    Reference                       : MPC191638

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); Halley type (P < 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-04-03 00:00 UT   13 30 12.5   -11 51 08     5.859    6.838  167.4    1.8   302   32.4 
2026-04-04 00:00 UT   13 29 36.5   -11 49 52     5.861    6.844  168.5    1.7   303   32.4 
2026-04-04 12:58 UT   13 29 17.1   -11 49 10     5.862    6.847  169.1    1.6   304   32.4 
2026-04-05 00:00 UT   13 29 00.5   -11 48 34     5.863    6.850  169.6    1.5   304   32.5 
2026-04-06 00:00 UT   13 28 24.4   -11 47 14     5.866    6.855  170.7    1.3   306   32.5 
2026-04-07 00:00 UT   13 27 48.3   -11 45 54     5.869    6.861  171.8    1.2   308   32.5 
2026-04-08 00:00 UT   13 27 12.1   -11 44 32     5.872    6.867  172.9    1.0   311   32.5 
2026-04-09 00:00 UT   13 26 35.9   -11 43 10     5.876    6.873  173.9    0.9   315   32.5 
2026-04-10 00:00 UT   13 25 59.6   -11 41 46     5.880    6.878  174.9    0.7   321   32.5 
2026-04-11 00:00 UT   13 25 23.5   -11 40 21     5.884    6.884  175.8    0.6   329   32.5 
2026-04-12 00:00 UT   13 24 47.3   -11 38 56     5.889    6.890  176.6    0.5   341   32.5 
2026-04-13 00:00 UT   13 24 11.2   -11 37 30     5.894    6.895  177.2    0.4   359   32.5 
2026-04-14 00:00 UT   13 23 35.1   -11 36 03     5.899    6.901  177.4    0.4    23   32.5 

    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.