Phase Angle · Illumination Geometry

To better understand how phase relationships evolve over time, I built this visualization of the asteroid's orbit and illumination geometry. The goal was to see how the mathematical relationships in my analysis functioned spatially. Now, I can see how observational cadence and viewing angle interact in practice, not just on paper. The dial tracks instantaneous phase angle, while the lower panel shows nightly observability across a rolling ±7-day window.

Orbital geometry from JPL Horizons ephemeris. Phase angle is the Sun–asteroid–observer angle; values near zero correspond to high brightness and favorable observing conditions.