Comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy
Comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy is in the constellation of Libra, at a distance of
Finder Charts
The sky charts below show, at different resolutions, the position of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy in the sky. Click on each chart to access the interactive star map tool.
The following map uses photographic imagery from the Digitized Sky Survey (DSS) to realistically visualize the precise position of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy against the stars in the background. The horizontal size of the map measures 60 arcminutes. Click on the image to access a more detailed full-screen view.
Equatorial Coordinates
Apparent
J2000
Additional Information
The observed values of Magnitude, Coma Diameter and Tail Length are derived from the most recent observation recorded at the Comet Observers Database. The value of Predicted Magnitude comes from the JPL Horizons ephemerides service and, in the case of comets, might be inaccurate given the highly dynamic and unpredictable behavior of these objects. When available, please refer to the Observed Magnitude value and consider the Predicted Magnitude as a directional indication. We acknowledge with thanks the comet observations from the COBS Comet Observation Database contributed by observers worldwide and used in this table to report recent comet observations.
Rise and Set Times
The following table lists today's rise, transit and set times of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy from Krukow, Germany (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/Berlin):
If you need to access this information frequently for your observations, you can create a simple customized Quick Access page, so that you can easily bookmark it in your browser favorites or add a shortcut to your mobile phones' home screen.
Distance from Earth
The distance of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy from Earth is currently
The following graph shows the distance of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy from Earth as a function of time. In the chart the distance is measured in Astronomical Units and the data is sampled with an interval of 1 day.
Note: The values in this chart may not be entirely accurate around the time of closest approach for objects passing very close to Earth at high speed (e.g., Near-Earth Objects).
The value of the distance of 129P/Shoemaker-Levy from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the live position tracker.
Closest Approach to Earth
In the period between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2099, the closest approach of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy to Earth happened on Friday 24 December 2004 at a distance of 1.946997 Astronomical Units, or 291,266,666 kilometers:
Note: the values for the closest approach are computed with a sampling interval of 1 day.
Light Curve
The following chart shows the light curve of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy, i.e., its apparent magnitude as a function of time. The curve is calculated using the latest ephemerides provided by JPL Horizons. The magnitude data is sampled with the interval of 2 days. Because of this sampling, inaccuracies may occur for objects that have large variations of brightness over a few days. For comets, large discrepancies can arise between the calculated brightness and the observations due to their highly dynamic, and not always precisely predictable, behavior.
Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy at epoch October, 12 2012 00:00 UTC (JD: 2456213.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 0.09784661 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 3.44203351° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 3.91136156 AU 585,131,363 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q |
4.75980592 AU 712,056,832 km |
| Semi-major axis | a |
4.33558374 AU 648,594,097 km |
| Orbital period | period |
9.0278 years 3,297.3860 days |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | January 29, 2014 2,456,687.3176 JD |
| Next perihelion transit | February 9, 2023 2,459,984.7036 JD |
|
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 307.01165168729° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 185.98729920145° |
| Mean anomaly | M | 308.26983561914° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.10917739°/day |
Orbit Visualization
The following chart is a 3D animated visualization of the orbit of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy relative to the other major objects in the Solar System. You can access more advanced features using our 3D Solar System Viewer.
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy computed for the past and next 7 days, with a 24 hours interval. Apparent celestial coordinates are provided.
| Date | Right AscensionR.A. | DeclinationDec. | MagnitudeMag | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 28 2025 | 15h 45m 51s | -16° 03’ 42” | 19.97 | Libra |
| Jun 29 2025 | 15h 45m 31s | -16° 03’ 00” | 19.97 | Libra |
| Jun 30 2025 | 15h 45m 11s | -16° 02’ 21” | 19.98 | Libra |
| Jul 01 2025 | 15h 44m 53s | -16° 01’ 44” | 19.99 | Libra |
| Jul 02 2025 | 15h 44m 35s | -16° 01’ 12” | 19.99 | Libra |
| Jul 03 2025 | 15h 44m 18s | -16° 00’ 42” | 20.00 | Libra |
| Jul 04 2025 | 15h 44m 03s | -16° 00’ 16” | 20.01 | Libra |
| Jul 05 2025 | 15h 43m 47s | -15° 59’ 53” | 20.01 | Libra |
| Jul 06 2025 | 15h 43m 33s | -15° 59’ 34” | 20.02 | Libra |
| Jul 07 2025 | 15h 43m 20s | -15° 59’ 17” | 20.03 | Libra |
| Jul 08 2025 | 15h 43m 07s | -15° 59’ 04” | 20.04 | Libra |
| Jul 09 2025 | 15h 42m 56s | -15° 58’ 55” | 20.04 | Libra |
| Jul 10 2025 | 15h 42m 45s | -15° 58’ 48” | 20.05 | Libra |
| Jul 11 2025 | 15h 42m 35s | -15° 58’ 45” | 20.06 | Libra |
Additional Resources on TheSkyLive
- Comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy: Complete reference information on TheSkyLive.com.
- Where is comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy?: Key information on where to find comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy in the sky.
- Distance of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy from Earth: Find out how far comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy is from Earth right now.
- How Bright is comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy?: Current visual brightness (magnitude) and apparent size.
- Rise and Set Times: Rise and set times of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy from your location.
- Interactive Sky Map: Planetarium-style interactive visualization of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy's position in the sky.
- Live Position Tracker: High precision real time tracker of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy's position using deep space imagery.
- Ephemeris: 15 days comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy's computed ephemeris.
- Orbital elements: Information about comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy orbital parameters.
- Orbit Visualization: 3D interactive visualization showing the orbit of comet 129P/Shoemaker-Levy with respect to the major Solar System objects.