174P/Echeclus
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	23 Apr 2015	12.7	5.856 AU	6.469 AU	23h00m	-05°10'	48.8°	7.4°	248°
Nearest approach	9 Sep 2015	12.1	5.893 AU	4.887 AU	23h18m	-04°00'	177.1°	0.5°	238°
Today	27 Jul 2024	23.1	13.030 AU	14.034 AU	07h52m	+17°28'	8.4°	0.7°	257°

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)                : 0.4556550
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 5.8555000
            i (Inclination)                 : 4.34260
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 173.30820
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 163.44640
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 156.79953
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 1.23617
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2457136.18520
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 35.28

            Epoch                           : 2024 Jul 26
            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 -10.82 + 5 log[∆] + 25.32 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
2024-07-27 00:00 UT   07 52 30.5   +17 28 34    14.034   13.029    8.1    0.6   256   23.1 
2024-07-27 08:24 UT   07 52 37.8   +17 28 14    14.034   13.030    8.4    0.7   257   23.1 
2024-07-28 00:00 UT   07 52 51.3   +17 27 37    14.033   13.031    8.9    0.7   259   23.1 
2024-07-29 00:00 UT   07 53 12.0   +17 26 40    14.032   13.033    9.7    0.8   261   23.1 
2024-07-30 00:00 UT   07 53 32.7   +17 25 43    14.031   13.035   10.5    0.8   262   23.1 
2024-07-31 00:00 UT   07 53 53.3   +17 24 45    14.030   13.036   11.4    0.9   264   23.1 
2024-08-01 00:00 UT   07 54 13.9   +17 23 47    14.028   13.038   12.2    0.9   265   23.1 
2024-08-02 00:00 UT   07 54 34.4   +17 22 49    14.026   13.040   13.0    1.0   266   23.2 
2024-08-03 00:00 UT   07 54 54.9   +17 21 51    14.024   13.042   13.9    1.1   267   23.2 
2024-08-04 00:00 UT   07 55 15.3   +17 20 53    14.022   13.043   14.7    1.1   268   23.2 
2024-08-05 00:00 UT   07 55 35.6   +17 19 54    14.019   13.045   15.6    1.2   269   23.2 
2024-08-06 00:00 UT   07 55 55.9   +17 18 55    14.016   13.047   16.4    1.3   270   23.2 

    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.