66P/duToit |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Perihelion | 11 May 2018 | 11.3 | 1.306 AU | 1.018 AU | 22h53m | -32°41' | 80.1° | 49.7° | 241° |
Nearest approach | 15 Aug 2018 | 15.0 | 1.789 AU | 1.008 AU | 01h26m | -11°35' | 124.6° | 27.8° | 261° |
Today | 13 Sep 2025 | 41.4 | 10.833 AU | 11.158 AU | 07h05m | +40°17' | 68.7° | 5.0° | 284° |
66P/duToit- 2025-09-13
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 66P/duToit are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.7849290
q (Perihelion distance) : 1.3055850
i (Inclination) : 18.64560
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 21.84460
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 257.36830
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 98.53747
B (Latitude of perihelion) : -18.17830
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2458250.40540
P (Orbital period in years) : 14.96
Epoch : 2025 Sep 12
Reference : MPEC 2021-F20
Classification(s): : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
Tisserand (Jupiter) : 2.125
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 (12.00 + 5 log[∆] + 9.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 8.14 + 5 log[∆] + 27.09 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
2025-09-13 00:00 UT 07 05 25.2 +40 16 25 11.166 10.833 68.2 4.9 284 41.4
2025-09-13 12:42 UT 07 05 33.1 +40 17 02 11.158 10.833 68.7 5.0 284 41.4
2025-09-14 00:00 UT 07 05 40.1 +40 17 36 11.151 10.833 69.1 5.0 284 41.4
2025-09-15 00:00 UT 07 05 54.6 +40 18 49 11.136 10.833 70.0 5.0 283 41.4
2025-09-16 00:00 UT 07 06 08.7 +40 20 03 11.121 10.833 70.9 5.0 283 41.4
2025-09-17 00:00 UT 07 06 22.4 +40 21 18 11.106 10.833 71.7 5.1 283 41.4
2025-09-18 00:00 UT 07 06 35.8 +40 22 35 11.091 10.833 72.6 5.1 283 41.4
2025-09-19 00:00 UT 07 06 48.7 +40 23 53 11.075 10.833 73.5 5.1 282 41.4
2025-09-20 00:00 UT 07 07 01.2 +40 25 12 11.060 10.834 74.4 5.1 282 41.4
2025-09-21 00:00 UT 07 07 13.3 +40 26 32 11.045 10.834 75.3 5.1 282 41.4
2025-09-22 00:00 UT 07 07 25.0 +40 27 54 11.029 10.834 76.2 5.2 281 41.4
2025-09-23 00:00 UT 07 07 36.3 +40 29 17 11.013 10.834 77.1 5.2 281 41.4
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.