C/2020 A2 (Iwamoto) |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Perihelion | 7 Jan 2020 | 10.3 | 0.975 AU | 1.624 AU | 17h50m | +05°14' | 33.8° | 34.1° | 326° |
Nearest approach | 21 Feb 2020 | 10.1 | 1.238 AU | 0.913 AU | 19h51m | +65°46' | 81.1° | 52.1° | 325° |
Today | 9 May 2025 | 27.6 | 16.220 AU | 16.930 AU | 05h29m | -08°39' | 44.0° | 2.5° | 126° |
C/2020 A2 (Iwamoto)- 2025-05-09
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 C/2020 A2 (Iwamoto) are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.9990080
q (Perihelion distance) : 0.9749720
i (Inclination) : 120.50980
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 286.19340
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 68.01470
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 234.68623
B (Latitude of perihelion) : 53.02432
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2458855.76200
P (Orbital period in years) : 30812.06
Epoch : 2025 May 08
Reference : MPEC 2022-YN2
Classification(s): : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)
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 (13.50 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 9.38 + 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.
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
2025-05-09 00:00 UT 05 29 06.1 -08 39 34 16.922 16.216 44.4 2.5 126 27.6
2025-05-09 14:23 UT 05 29 12.6 -08 39 01 16.930 16.220 44.0 2.5 126 27.6
2025-05-10 00:00 UT 05 29 17.0 -08 38 40 16.936 16.222 43.8 2.5 127 27.6
2025-05-11 00:00 UT 05 29 28.1 -08 37 47 16.949 16.228 43.2 2.4 128 27.6
2025-05-12 00:00 UT 05 29 39.2 -08 36 56 16.962 16.234 42.6 2.4 129 27.6
2025-05-13 00:00 UT 05 29 50.5 -08 36 07 16.976 16.240 42.0 2.4 130 27.6
2025-05-14 00:00 UT 05 30 01.8 -08 35 19 16.988 16.246 41.5 2.4 131 27.6
2025-05-15 00:00 UT 05 30 13.3 -08 34 33 17.001 16.251 40.9 2.3 132 27.6
2025-05-16 00:00 UT 05 30 24.8 -08 33 49 17.014 16.257 40.4 2.3 133 27.6
2025-05-17 00:00 UT 05 30 36.5 -08 33 06 17.026 16.263 39.8 2.3 134 27.6
2025-05-18 00:00 UT 05 30 48.2 -08 32 24 17.038 16.269 39.3 2.3 136 27.7
2025-05-19 00:00 UT 05 31 00.0 -08 31 44 17.050 16.275 38.8 2.2 137 27.7
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.