C/2020 F8 (SWAN) - DISINTEGRATED |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Disintegration | 2 May 2020 | 5.2 | 0.747 AU | 0.703 AU | 00h04m | -13°51' | 47.8° | 88.0° | 234° |
Nearest approach | 11 May 2020 | 5.7 | 0.574 AU | 0.560 AU | 01h20m | +16°50' | 27.4° | 126.0° | 263° |
Perihelion | 26 May 2020 | 7.7 | 0.430 AU | 0.909 AU | 04h26m | +46°16' | 25.1° | 91.1° | 6° |
Today | 26 Apr 2024 | - | 13.559 AU | 14.252 AU | 04h15m | -20°36' | 45.0° | 3.0° | 137° |
C/2020 F8 (SWAN)- 2024-04-26
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 F8 (SWAN) are:
e (Eccentricity) : 1.0001330
q (Perihelion distance) : 0.4302680
i (Inclination) : 110.57490
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 259.82440
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 68.07430
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 218.70079
B (Latitude of perihelion) : 60.28435
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2458996.29200
Epoch : 2024 Apr 25
Reference : MPEC 2023-J29
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 (10.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 7.59 + 5 log[∆] + 12.53 log[r]). The additional green curve shows the effect of forward scattering, occurring when the comet is between the earth and the sun, for a gas-to-dust light ratio δ90 of 0.30. (See Marcus 2007)
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
2024-04-26 00:00 UT 04 15 07.6 -20 37 09 14.245 13.555 45.2 3.0 136 27.6
2024-04-26 16:08 UT 04 15 17.6 -20 36 08 14.252 13.559 45.0 3.0 137 27.6
2024-04-27 00:00 UT 04 15 22.5 -20 35 38 14.256 13.561 44.9 3.0 138 27.6
2024-04-28 00:00 UT 04 15 37.5 -20 34 10 14.267 13.568 44.5 3.0 139 27.6
2024-04-29 00:00 UT 04 15 52.6 -20 32 43 14.277 13.574 44.2 3.0 140 27.6
2024-04-30 00:00 UT 04 16 07.8 -20 31 19 14.288 13.581 43.9 2.9 141 27.6
2024-05-01 00:00 UT 04 16 23.1 -20 29 57 14.298 13.587 43.6 2.9 143 27.6
2024-05-02 00:00 UT 04 16 38.5 -20 28 37 14.309 13.594 43.4 2.9 144 27.6
2024-05-03 00:00 UT 04 16 54.0 -20 27 20 14.318 13.600 43.1 2.9 145 27.6
2024-05-04 00:00 UT 04 17 09.6 -20 26 05 14.328 13.607 42.9 2.9 146 27.6
2024-05-05 00:00 UT 04 17 25.3 -20 24 52 14.338 13.613 42.6 2.9 148 27.6
2024-05-06 00:00 UT 04 17 41.1 -20 23 42 14.347 13.620 42.4 2.9 149 27.6
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.