Comet Tail Analyzer: A GUI Tool for Finson--Probstein Dust-tail Modeling

Summary Comet Tail Analyzer is a graphical user interface tool for generating and visualizing Finson--Probstein dust-tail model overlays on comet images. The software is intended for comet observers and researchers who want to interpret dust-tail morphology using synchrones, syndynes, and the radiation-pressure parameter beta. The tool allows users to compare observed comet-tail structures with modeled dust trajectories, helping to estimate approximate dust-release epochs and grain-size regimes from the projected tail morphology. It is particularly useful for morphological analysis of post-perihelion or post-fragmentation comet images, where the observed tail may contain dust emitted over multiple epochs. The associated RNAAS software note describing Comet Tail Analyzer is “Comet Tail Analyzer: A GUI Tool for Finson--Probstein Dust-tail Modeling,” DOI: 10.3847/2515-5172/ae6f90. This release archives version v2.4 of Comet Tail Analyzer, the version used in the RNAAS manuscript “Finson--Probstein Morphology and Unfiltered Photometry of the Post-fragmentation Coma of Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS).” (doi:10.3847/2515-5172/ae6f90) Release notes for v2.4 Bug Fixes PRESET tab: Fixed the fetching function to JPL Horizons for all listed comets. Enhancements & New Features Observation Date input: Now accepts multiple time formats, providing more flexibility: Decimal-day (e.g., 2018-01-14.583) HH:MM (e.g., 2018-01-14 13:59) HH:MM:SS (e.g., 2018-01-14 13:59:31) UI & Visualization Improvements Light Curve Window: * Added an observation-date vertical dashed line (blue) and a perihelion vertical dashed line (orange) to the date-axis plot. Removed the "Now" vertical line and scatter star to declutter the graph. Current magnitude and distance are now elegantly shown as a text annotation instead.