C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) | astro.vanbuitenen.nl (2024)


C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Today1 May 202410.32.758 AU1.803 AU13h21m-00°45'156.7°8.3°129°
Perihelion27 Sep 20240.40.391 AU0.908 AU10h46m-06°03'23.0°92.1°260°
Nearest approach12 Oct 2024-0.70.556 AU0.472 AU14h07m-01°05'15.2°151.8°64°

Please be aware that cometary behaviour is difficult to predict by nature. Predictions on this page are based on standard models and the latest observations available to me, and will gradually improve with time. The ability of comets to either disappoint or pleasantly surprise us, is one of many things that make them so interesting.


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/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) are:

 e (Eccentricity) : 1.0001070 q (Perihelion distance) : 0.3914480 i (Inclination) : 139.11220 Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 21.55960 ω (Argument of perihelion) : 308.49010 L (Longitude of perihelion) : 65.11339 B (Latitude of perihelion) : -30.82048 T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2460581.24130 Epoch : 2024 Apr 30 Reference : MPEC 2024-H91 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 (5.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 4.64 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 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 0.10. (See Marcus 2007)

C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) | astro.vanbuitenen.nl (1)


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.


C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) | astro.vanbuitenen.nl (2)

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.

C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) | astro.vanbuitenen.nl (3)


The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.

C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) | astro.vanbuitenen.nl (4)


A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) | astro.vanbuitenen.nl (5)

Ephemerides:

Date Time RA (2000) DEC (2000) delta radius elong phase PA magn2024-05-01 00:00 UT 13 22 48.6 +00 50 21 1.807 2.765 157.5 8.0 130 10.3 2024-05-01 12:03 UT 13 21 25.5 +00 45 54 1.803 2.758 156.7 8.3 129 10.3 2024-05-02 00:00 UT 13 20 02.9 +00 41 30 1.800 2.751 156.0 8.6 129 10.3 2024-05-03 00:00 UT 13 17 16.6 +00 32 43 1.794 2.737 154.4 9.2 127 10.3 2024-05-04 00:00 UT 13 14 30.0 +00 24 00 1.788 2.724 152.8 9.7 126 10.3 2024-05-05 00:00 UT 13 11 43.1 +00 15 23 1.782 2.710 151.2 10.3 125 10.2 2024-05-06 00:00 UT 13 08 56.0 +00 06 51 1.778 2.696 149.6 10.9 124 10.2 2024-05-07 00:00 UT 13 06 09.0 +00 01 35 1.773 2.683 148.0 11.5 123 10.2 2024-05-08 00:00 UT 13 03 22.1 +00 09 53 1.769 2.669 146.4 12.1 122 10.1 2024-05-09 00:00 UT 13 00 35.6 +00 18 04 1.766 2.655 144.8 12.7 122 10.1 2024-05-10 00:00 UT 12 57 49.5 +00 26 07 1.763 2.641 143.2 13.2 121 10.1 2024-05-11 00:00 UT 12 55 04.0 +00 34 01 1.760 2.628 141.6 13.8 120 10.1 

 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.

C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) | astro.vanbuitenen.nl (2024)

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