46P/Wirtanen
Orbital Elements
The following orbital elements are taken from MPC 60466:
46P/Wirtanen
Epoch 2008 Jan. 15.0 TT = JDT 2454480.5
T 2008 Feb. 2.4958 TT MPC
q 1.057487 (2000.0) P Q
n 0.1811690 Peri. 356.3476 +0.1976638 -0.9593232
a 3.093239 Node 82.1749 +0.9044570 +0.0991900
e 0.658130 Incl. 11.7393 +0.3780034 +0.2643109
P 5.44
From 511 observations 1995-2007, mean residual 0".8. Nongravitational
parameters A1 = +0.35, A2 = -0.1373.
Elements are also available for the current standard epoch:
46P/Wirtanen Epoch 2009 June 18.0 TT = JDT 2455000.5 T 2008 Feb. 2.4602 TT MPC q 1.056931 (2000.0) P Q n 0.1813185 Peri. 356.3185 +0.1982943 -0.9591901 a 3.091539 Node 82.1665 +0.9043804 +0.0997703 e 0.658121 Incl. 11.7403 +0.3778564 +0.2645755 P 5.44An explanation of the orbital elements is available.
These orbital elements are also available in forms suitable for loading into a number of popular planetarium-type software programs.
Ephemeris
The following ephemeris is at intervals of five days. A daily ephemeris covering the same time interval is also available.Personalized ephemerides for this (and other) objects may be generated using the Minor Planet & Comet Ephemeris Service.
Recent magnitude estimates for this comet (as reported to the ICQ) may be available.
Date TT R. A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. Phase m1 m2WARNING! 2009 06 08 14 49.16 -07 59.6 3.283 4.149 144.3 8.2 20.9 24.2 2009 06 13 14 46.41 -07 59.5 3.349 4.170 139.0 9.2 20.9 24.3 2009 06 18 14 44.05 -08 01.4 3.422 4.190 133.8 10.1 21.0 24.4 2009 06 23 14 42.09 -08 05.3 3.499 4.210 128.7 10.9 21.1 24.5 2009 06 28 14 40.55 -08 11.1 3.580 4.229 123.7 11.5 21.2 24.6 2009 07 03 14 39.42 -08 18.8 3.665 4.249 118.8 12.1 21.2 24.7 2009 07 08 14 38.70 -08 28.2 3.753 4.268 113.9 12.6 21.3 24.8 2009 07 13 14 38.37 -08 39.2 3.844 4.287 109.2 12.9 21.4 24.8 2009 07 18 14 38.43 -08 51.7 3.936 4.306 104.5 13.2 21.5 24.9 2009 07 23 14 38.85 -09 05.6 4.031 4.324 100.0 13.4 21.6 25.0 2009 07 28 14 39.63 -09 20.7 4.126 4.342 95.5 13.5 21.6 25.0 2009 08 02 14 40.74 -09 37.0 4.221 4.360 91.1 13.5 21.7 25.1 2009 08 07 14 42.17 -09 54.2 4.317 4.378 86.7 13.4 21.8 25.2 2009 08 12 14 43.89 -10 12.4 4.412 4.395 82.5 13.2 21.9 25.2 2009 08 17 14 45.89 -10 31.2 4.506 4.413 78.2 13.0 21.9 25.3 2009 08 22 14 48.16 -10 50.8 4.599 4.430 74.1 12.7 22.0 25.3 2009 08 27 14 50.67 -11 10.8 4.690 4.446 69.9 12.3 22.1 25.3 2009 09 01 14 53.41 -11 31.3 4.779 4.463 65.9 11.9 22.1 25.4 2009 09 06 14 56.36 -11 52.2 4.866 4.479 61.8 11.4 22.2 25.4 2009 09 11 14 59.51 -12 13.2 4.950 4.496 57.8 10.9 22.3 25.4 2009 09 16 15 02.84 -12 34.4 5.031 4.511 53.9 10.4 22.3 25.4 2009 09 21 15 06.34 -12 55.7 5.108 4.527 49.9 9.8 22.4 25.5 2009 09 26 15 10.00 -13 17.0 5.182 4.543 46.0 9.1 22.4 25.5 2009 10 01 15 13.79 -13 38.1 5.251 4.558 42.1 8.5 22.5 25.5 2009 10 06 15 17.71 -13 59.1 5.317 4.573 38.2 7.8 22.5 25.5 2009 10 11 15 21.75 -14 19.8 5.378 4.588 34.3 7.0 22.6 25.5 2009 10 16 15 25.89 -14 40.3 5.434 4.602 30.4 6.3 22.6 25.5 2009 10 21 15 30.13 -15 00.3 5.485 4.617 26.6 5.5 22.7 25.5 2009 10 26 15 34.44 -15 20.0 5.532 4.631 22.7 4.8 22.7 25.5 2009 10 31 15 38.82 -15 39.1 5.573 4.645 18.9 4.0 22.7 25.4 2009 11 05 15 43.25 -15 57.8 5.609 4.658 15.1 3.2 22.8 25.4 2009 11 10 15 47.73 -16 15.8 5.639 4.672 11.3 2.4 22.8 25.4 2009 11 15 15 52.24 -16 33.2 5.664 4.685 7.7 1.6 22.8 25.3 2009 11 20 15 56.77 -16 50.0 5.683 4.698 4.6 1.0 22.9 25.3 2009 11 25 16 01.31 -17 06.1 5.696 4.711 3.6 0.8 22.9 25.3 2009 11 30 16 05.84 -17 21.5 5.704 4.724 6.0 1.3 22.9 25.3 2009 12 05 16 10.35 -17 36.1 5.705 4.736 9.5 2.0 22.9 25.4 2009 12 10 16 14.83 -17 49.9 5.702 4.749 13.3 2.7 22.9 25.5 2009 12 15 16 19.26 -18 03.0 5.692 4.761 17.2 3.5 22.9 25.5 2009 12 20 16 23.64 -18 15.3 5.677 4.773 21.2 4.3 23.0 25.5 2009 12 25 16 27.94 -18 26.7 5.656 4.784 25.2 5.0 23.0 25.6 2009 12 30 16 32.16 -18 37.4 5.630 4.796 29.2 5.7 23.0 25.6 2010 01 04 16 36.27 -18 47.3 5.598 4.807 33.3 6.4 23.0 25.6 2010 01 09 16 40.26 -18 56.4 5.562 4.818 37.4 7.1 23.0 25.7 2010 01 14 16 44.12 -19 04.7 5.520 4.829 41.6 7.8 23.0 25.7 2010 01 19 16 47.83 -19 12.2 5.474 4.839 45.8 8.4 23.0 25.7 2010 01 24 16 51.37 -19 19.0 5.423 4.850 50.0 8.9 23.0 25.7 2010 01 29 16 54.72 -19 25.1 5.369 4.860 54.3 9.5 22.9 25.7 2010 02 03 16 57.88 -19 30.5 5.310 4.870 58.6 9.9 22.9 25.7 2010 02 08 17 00.81 -19 35.2 5.249 4.880 63.0 10.4 22.9 25.7 2010 02 13 17 03.51 -19 39.3 5.184 4.889 67.4 10.7 22.9 25.7 2010 02 18 17 05.95 -19 42.8 5.116 4.899 71.8 11.1 22.9 25.7 2010 02 23 17 08.11 -19 45.7 5.046 4.908 76.4 11.3 22.9 25.7 2010 02 28 17 09.98 -19 48.1 4.975 4.917 80.9 11.5 22.9 25.6 2010 03 05 17 11.55 -19 50.1 4.902 4.926 85.6 11.6 22.8 25.6 2010 03 10 17 12.79 -19 51.6 4.829 4.935 90.3 11.6 22.8 25.6 2010 03 15 17 13.69 -19 52.7 4.755 4.943 95.0 11.6 22.8 25.6 2010 03 20 17 14.23 -19 53.4 4.682 4.951 99.9 11.4 22.8 25.5 2010 03 25 17 14.40 -19 53.7 4.610 4.959 104.8 11.2 22.7 25.5 2010 03 30 17 14.20 -19 53.7 4.539 4.967 109.8 10.9 22.7 25.4 2010 04 04 17 13.62 -19 53.4 4.471 4.975 114.8 10.5 22.7 25.4 2010 04 09 17 12.65 -19 52.7 4.406 4.982 120.0 10.0 22.7 25.4 2010 04 14 17 11.30 -19 51.8 4.344 4.989 125.2 9.5 22.7 25.3 2010 04 19 17 09.57 -19 50.6 4.286 4.997 130.5 8.8 22.6 25.3 2010 04 24 17 07.47 -19 49.0 4.233 5.003 135.9 8.0 22.6 25.2 2010 04 29 17 05.04 -19 47.2 4.185 5.010 141.3 7.2 22.6 25.1 2010 05 04 17 02.29 -19 45.1 4.143 5.017 146.8 6.3 22.6 25.1 2010 05 09 16 59.25 -19 42.7 4.107 5.023 152.3 5.4 22.6 25.0 2010 05 14 16 55.97 -19 40.1 4.079 5.029 157.9 4.3 22.6 24.9 2010 05 19 16 52.48 -19 37.2 4.057 5.035 163.4 3.3 22.6 24.9 2010 05 24 16 48.84 -19 34.1 4.043 5.041 169.0 2.2 22.6 24.8 2010 05 29 16 45.11 -19 30.9 4.037 5.046 174.3 1.1 22.6 24.7 2010 06 03 16 41.34 -19 27.6 4.038 5.052 177.2 0.6 22.6 24.7 2010 06 08 16 37.58 -19 24.3 4.048 5.057 173.1 1.4 22.6 24.7 2010 06 13 16 33.89 -19 21.1 4.065 5.062 167.7 2.5 22.6 24.8 2010 06 18 16 30.32 -19 18.2 4.090 5.067 162.2 3.5 22.6 24.9 2010 06 23 16 26.93 -19 15.5 4.122 5.071 156.7 4.6 22.7 25.0 2010 06 28 16 23.76 -19 13.3 4.161 5.076 151.2 5.5 22.7 25.1 2010 07 03 16 20.85 -19 11.6 4.207 5.080 145.8 6.5 22.7 25.1 2010 07 08 16 18.22 -19 10.5 4.259 5.084 140.4 7.3 22.7 25.2 2010 07 13 16 15.91 -19 10.0 4.317 5.088 135.1 8.1 22.8 25.3This comet gets close to the sun during the period covered in the ephemeris below. Observers are warned to be wary of observing comets near the sun. NEVER point any kind of optical instrument at the sun--instant blindness will be the probable result.
