Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux
Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux is in the constellation of
Gemini,
at a distance of
Finder Charts
View interactive star map
High precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux in the sky and additional links to sky charts.
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 49P/Arend-Rigaux from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- 49P/Arend-Rigaux is above the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Right now it is placed in the East direction at an altitude of 36.01° above the horizon.
- Given its current magnitude, 49P/Arend-Rigaux is visible only through long exposure photography.
- Go to interactive sky chart
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Distance from Earth
The distance of Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux 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 49P/Arend-Rigaux from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Closest Approach
Between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2099, the closest approach of Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux to Earth happens on Sat Dec 27 2031 at a distance of 0.559464 Astronomical Units, or 83,694,594 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 49P/Arend-Rigaux, 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 49P/Arend-Rigaux at epoch 26 November 2013 00:00 UTC (JD: 2456623.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 0.60042880 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 19.05343748° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 1.42478121 AU 213,144,236 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q |
5.70676985 AU 853,720,620 km |
| Semi-major axis | a |
3.56577553 AU 533,432,428 km |
| Orbital period | period |
6.7335 years 2,459.4015 days |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2011-Oct-19 05:39:13 2,455,853.7356 JD |
| Next perihelion transit | 2018-Jul-13 15:17 2,458,313.1370 JD |
|
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 332.88837062983° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 118.83983707047° |
| Mean anomaly | M | 112.67586831862° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.14637708°/day |
View Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux in the 3D Solar System Simulator
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 May 13 | 06h 02m 00s | +22° 32’ 16” | 17.03 | Orion |
| 2025 May 14 | 06h 05m 27s | +22° 41’ 15” | 17.04 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 15 | 06h 08m 53s | +22° 49’ 54” | 17.06 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 16 | 06h 12m 20s | +22° 58’ 12” | 17.07 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 17 | 06h 15m 46s | +23° 06’ 11” | 17.08 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 18 | 06h 19m 13s | +23° 13’ 50” | 17.09 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 19 | 06h 22m 39s | +23° 21’ 09” | 17.10 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 20 | 06h 26m 06s | +23° 28’ 08” | 17.11 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 21 | 06h 29m 33s | +23° 34’ 46” | 17.12 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 22 | 06h 32m 59s | +23° 41’ 06” | 17.13 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 23 | 06h 36m 25s | +23° 47’ 04” | 17.15 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 24 | 06h 39m 53s | +23° 52’ 44” | 17.16 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 25 | 06h 43m 19s | +23° 58’ 03” | 17.17 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 26 | 06h 46m 45s | +24° 03’ 03” | 17.18 | Gemini |
Additional Resources on TheSkyLive
- Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux: Complete reference information on TheSkyLive.com.
- Where is Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux?: Key information on locating Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux in the sky.
- Distance from Earth: Find out how far Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux is from Earth right now.
- How Bright is Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux?: Current visual brightness (magnitude) and apparent size.
- Rise and Set Times: Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux's rise and set times from your location.
- Interactive Sky Map: planetarium-style interactive visualization of Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux's position in the sky.
- Live Position Tracker: high precision position tracker with deep space imagery.
- Ephemeris: 15 days Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux's computed ephemeris.
- Orbital elements: information about Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux orbital parameters.
- Orbit Visualization. 3d interactive visualization showing the orbit of Comet 49P/Arend-Rigaux with respect to the major Solar System objects.