118P/Shoemaker-Levy
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Perihelion24 Nov 202214.41.829 AU1.183 AU08h26m+07°48'114.6°29.4°289°
Nearest approach18 Jan 202314.01.888 AU0.916 AU08h37m+11°28'167.2°6.6°316°
Today20 Jan 202521.64.555 AU5.271 AU17h26m-15°05'39.5°7.9°283°
118P/Shoemaker-Levy- 2025-01-20
astro.vanbuitenen.nl


 
-1 month
-1 week
-1 day
Now
+1 day
+1 week
+1 month

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 118P/Shoemaker-Levy are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.4538280
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.8289760
            i (Inclination)                 : 10.09090
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 142.06320
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 314.92770
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 97.43751
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -7.12582
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459908.15610
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 6.13

            Epoch                           : 2025 Jan 19
            Reference                       : MPEC 2024-MB8

            Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
            Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.961
        

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[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 11.45 + 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.