Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT
Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT is in the constellation of
Libra,
at a distance of
View interactive star map
Celestial 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
Today's rise, transit and set times of Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- 204P/LINEAR-NEAT is below the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Given its current magnitude, 204P/LINEAR-NEAT is visible only through long exposure photography.
- Go to interactive sky chart
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.
Finder Charts
High precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT in the sky and additional links to sky charts.
Distance from Earth
The distance of Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT from Earth as a function of time. In the chart the distance data is measured in Astronomical Units and sampled with an interval of 1 day.
The value of the reported distance might be somewhat inaccurate around the times of closest approach for objects passing extremely close to Earth. The value of the distance of 204P/LINEAR-NEAT from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Closest Approach
Between 1 January 2013 and 30 December 2100, the closest approach of Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT to Earth happens on Mon Jan 18 2016 at a distance of 0.976006 Astronomical Units, or 146,008,425 kilometers:
NOTE: values for the closest approach are computed with a sampling interval of 1 day.
Light Curve
The following chart is the predicted light curve (visual magnitude as a function of time) of Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT, according to the most recent ephemerides data. Magnitude data is sampled with a 2 days interval and there might be inaccuracies for objects changing brightness very rapidly during the course of a few days. For comets there could be large discrepancies between the observed and predicted brightness because of their highly dynamic behaviour.
Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT at epoch 19 October 2013 00:00 UTC (JD: 2456585.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 0.47212804 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 6.58890103° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 1.93104595 AU 288,880,363 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q |
5.38529624 AU 805,628,853 km |
| Semi-major axis | a |
3.65817110 AU 547,254,608 km |
| Orbital period | period |
6.9969 years 2,555.6092 days |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2015-Dec-11 09:55:30 2,457,367.9136 JD |
| Next perihelion transit | 2022-Dec-10 00:32 2,459,923.5228 JD |
|
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 354.9910444685° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 109.07430775348° |
| Mean anomaly | M | 249.78405778331° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.14086661°/day |
Orbit Visualization
View Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT in the 3D Solar System Simulator
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Sep 11 | 15h 41m 06s | -15° 29’ 40” | 22.86 | Libra |
| 2024 Sep 12 | 15h 41m 45s | -15° 32’ 59” | 22.87 | Libra |
| 2024 Sep 13 | 15h 42m 24s | -15° 36’ 19” | 22.88 | Libra |
| 2024 Sep 14 | 15h 43m 04s | -15° 39’ 38” | 22.89 | Libra |
| 2024 Sep 15 | 15h 43m 44s | -15° 42’ 58” | 22.90 | Libra |
| 2024 Sep 16 | 15h 44m 24s | -15° 46’ 18” | 22.91 | Libra |
| 2024 Sep 17 | 15h 45m 06s | -15° 49’ 38” | 22.92 | Libra |
| 2024 Sep 18 | 15h 45m 47s | -15° 52’ 59” | 22.93 | Libra |
| 2024 Sep 19 | 15h 46m 30s | -15° 56’ 19” | 22.94 | Libra |
| 2024 Sep 20 | 15h 47m 12s | -15° 59’ 40” | 22.95 | Libra |
| 2024 Sep 21 | 15h 47m 55s | -16° 03’ 01” | 22.96 | Libra |
| 2024 Sep 22 | 15h 48m 40s | -16° 06’ 21” | 22.96 | Libra |
| 2024 Sep 23 | 15h 49m 24s | -16° 09’ 42” | 22.97 | Libra |
| 2024 Sep 24 | 15h 50m 08s | -16° 13’ 03” | 22.98 | Libra |
Additional Resources
- Position and finder charts (see also Where is Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT?)
- Distance from Earth (see also How far is Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT from Earth?)
- When does Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT rise and set?
- Brightness (see also How bright is Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT?)
- Orbital elements. Detailed information about Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT orbital parameters.
- Interactive orbit visualization. 3d visualization showing the orbit of Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT with respect to the major Solar System objects.
- 15 days ephemerides. Table showing celestial coordinates and magnitude of Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT for the past and next 7 days.
- Interactive sky chart. An online planetarium application that shows where to locate Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT in the sky from your location.
- Live position tracker. A high precision sky chart that uses real deep sky imagery to help locate Comet 204P/LINEAR-NEAT with your telescope or on your astrophotographies.