174P/Echeclus
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	19 Apr 2015	12.7	5.867 AU	6.533 AU	22h58m	-05°21'	45.0°	7.0°	249°
Nearest approach	9 Sep 2015	12.1	5.906 AU	4.900 AU	23h19m	-03°53'	177.0°	0.5°	239°
Today	14 Sep 2025	23.8	13.701 AU	14.388 AU	08h29m	+15°42'	45.4°	3.0°	281°

The interactive orbit chart above shows the comet's path through the solar system and its position at the given date. Green and blue lines are shown perpendicular to the ecliptic plane: Green if the path is above the ecliptic plane, blue if it is below. (Left-click and drag to rotate the view; Right-click and drag to move the view; Use scroll wheel to zoom in our out.)

The orbital elements of 174P/Echeclus are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.4547310
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 5.8665610
            i (Inclination)                 : 4.34070
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 173.34250
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 163.42610
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 156.81354
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 1.23710
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2457131.87730
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 35.29

            Epoch                           : 2025 Jul 29
            Reference                       : MPC 92985

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); Halley type (P < 200 years)
        

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC. The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (9.40 + 5 log[∆] + 5.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently -10.95 + 5 log[∆] + 25.44 log[r]).

The all-sky chart below shows the path of the comet over the same period as the light curve. The comet's current position is marked yellow.

The following chart shows the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.

The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.

A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Ephemerides:

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-09-14 00:00 UT   08 29 41.4   +15 42 43    14.390   13.701   45.3    3.0   281   23.8 
2025-09-14 03:11 UT   08 29 43.3   +15 42 35    14.388   13.701   45.4    3.0   281   23.8 
2025-09-15 00:00 UT   08 29 56.0   +15 41 43    14.379   13.702   46.2    3.0   281   23.8 
2025-09-16 00:00 UT   08 30 10.5   +15 40 43    14.368   13.704   47.1    3.1   281   23.8 
2025-09-17 00:00 UT   08 30 24.8   +15 39 43    14.357   13.705   48.0    3.1   281   23.8 
2025-09-18 00:00 UT   08 30 38.9   +15 38 44    14.346   13.707   49.0    3.2   281   23.8 
2025-09-19 00:00 UT   08 30 52.8   +15 37 46    14.334   13.708   49.9    3.2   281   23.8 
2025-09-20 00:00 UT   08 31 06.5   +15 36 48    14.322   13.710   50.8    3.3   282   23.8 
2025-09-21 00:00 UT   08 31 20.0   +15 35 50    14.311   13.711   51.7    3.3   282   23.8 
2025-09-22 00:00 UT   08 31 33.3   +15 34 53    14.299   13.713   52.6    3.3   282   23.8 
2025-09-23 00:00 UT   08 31 46.3   +15 33 56    14.287   13.714   53.6    3.4   282   23.7 
2025-09-24 00:00 UT   08 31 59.2   +15 33 00    14.274   13.716   54.5    3.4   282   23.7 

    Terminology:
            
    delta:  distance between comet and earth in AU
    radius: distance between comet and sun in AU
    magn:   magnitude (brightness) estimate    
    ra:     right ascension in hours (24h = 360deg)
    dec:    declination in degrees
    elong:  elongation in degrees (angle sun-earth-comet)    
    phase:  phase angle in degrees (angle sun-comet-earth)        
    AU:     Astronomical Unit (mean distance between earth and sun: 149597870.7 km      
    

Orbital elements usually provided by the MPC (Minor Planet Center).
Observations contributed by observers worldwide, via COBS (Comet Observation Database) or the MPC (Minor Planet Center)
Calculations by a modified version of AAPlus, a C# implementation of the AA+ project by PJ Naughter from the algorithms presented in the book "Astronomical Algorithms" by Jean Meeus.
NGC2000 dso catalog and star labels from VizieR as provided by the Strasbourg astronomical Data Center.
Tycho2 catalog from the ESO archive.