C/2013 US10 (Catalina)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Perihelion16 Nov 20156.30.820 AU1.739 AU14h24m-19°17'14.6°17.6°270°
Nearest approach17 Jan 20166.11.378 AU0.718 AU13h53m+54°52'107.2°43.0°282°
Today26 Apr 202523.024.365 AU25.307 AU02h12m+33°30'20.1°0.8°359°
C/2013 US10 (Catalina)- 2025-04-26
astro.vanbuitenen.nl


 
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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 C/2013 US10 (Catalina) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0006210
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.8202940
            i (Inclination)                 : 148.75930
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 186.41870
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 340.59350
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 203.18104
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -9.92307
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2457343.40160

            Epoch                           : 2020 Dec 03
            Reference                       : MPC110080

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)
        

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 (4.40 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 5.77 + 5 log[∆] + 7.37 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
2025-04-26 00:00 UT   02 12 31.0   +33 30 35    25.307   24.365   20.1    0.8   359   23.0 
2025-04-26 01:46 UT   02 12 31.7   +33 30 37    25.307   24.365   20.1    0.8   359   23.0 
2025-04-27 00:00 UT   02 12 41.1   +33 31 13    25.314   24.370   19.8    0.8   357   23.0 
2025-04-28 00:00 UT   02 12 51.2   +33 31 53    25.320   24.375   19.6    0.8   354   23.0 
2025-04-29 00:00 UT   02 13 01.2   +33 32 33    25.327   24.379   19.4    0.8   351   23.0 
2025-04-30 00:00 UT   02 13 11.3   +33 33 14    25.333   24.384   19.2    0.8   349   23.0 
2025-05-01 00:00 UT   02 13 21.4   +33 33 56    25.338   24.389   19.1    0.8   346   23.0 
2025-05-02 00:00 UT   02 13 31.4   +33 34 38    25.344   24.394   19.0    0.8   343   23.0 
2025-05-03 00:00 UT   02 13 41.4   +33 35 21    25.349   24.399   19.0    0.8   340   23.0 
2025-05-04 00:00 UT   02 13 51.4   +33 36 04    25.354   24.404   19.0    0.8   337   23.0 
2025-05-05 00:00 UT   02 14 01.3   +33 36 49    25.359   24.409   19.0    0.8   334   23.0 
2025-05-06 00:00 UT   02 14 11.3   +33 37 33    25.364   24.414   19.1    0.8   332   23.0 

































































    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.