260P/McNaught |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Today | 30 Apr 2025 | 20.3 | 4.016 AU | 3.072 AU | 15h13m | -36°15' | 156.6° | 5.7° | 334° |
Perihelion | 4 Aug 2026 | 13.7 | 1.418 AU | 1.180 AU | 03h12m | +23°47' | 80.1° | 44.8° | 256° |
Nearest approach | 9 Nov 2026 | 14.3 | 1.765 AU | 0.980 AU | 06h22m | +50°44' | 127.1° | 26.6° | 249° |
260P/McNaught- 2025-04-30
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 260P/McNaught are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.6088070
q (Perihelion distance) : 1.4175320
i (Inclination) : 15.04330
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 349.30710
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 18.49180
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 7.20626
B (Latitude of perihelion) : 4.72198
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2461257.48210
P (Orbital period in years) : 6.90
Epoch : 2025 Apr 29
Reference : MPEC 2022-O01
Classification(s): : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
Tisserand (Jupiter) : 2.715
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 11.86 + 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
2025-04-30 00:00 UT 15 13 43.9 -36 15 29 3.077 4.019 156.2 5.8 332 20.3
2025-04-30 14:39 UT 15 13 10.3 -36 15 18 3.072 4.016 156.6 5.7 334 20.3
2025-05-01 00:00 UT 15 12 48.8 -36 15 09 3.068 4.014 156.9 5.7 334 20.3
2025-05-02 00:00 UT 15 11 53.1 -36 14 41 3.059 4.009 157.6 5.5 337 20.3
2025-05-03 00:00 UT 15 10 56.8 -36 14 04 3.051 4.004 158.2 5.4 340 20.3
2025-05-04 00:00 UT 15 10 00.1 -36 13 18 3.043 4.000 158.8 5.2 342 20.3
2025-05-05 00:00 UT 15 09 02.9 -36 12 24 3.035 3.995 159.4 5.1 345 20.3
2025-05-06 00:00 UT 15 08 05.4 -36 11 21 3.027 3.990 159.9 5.0 348 20.3
2025-05-07 00:00 UT 15 07 07.4 -36 10 09 3.020 3.985 160.4 4.9 352 20.3
2025-05-08 00:00 UT 15 06 09.2 -36 08 49 3.013 3.980 160.8 4.8 355 20.3
2025-05-09 00:00 UT 15 05 10.7 -36 07 21 3.006 3.975 161.1 4.7 359 20.2
2025-05-10 00:00 UT 15 04 12.0 -36 05 44 3.000 3.970 161.4 4.6 2 20.2
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.