C/2014 E2 (Jacques)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	29 Jun 2014	6.3	0.660 AU	1.631 AU	05h49m	+20°50'	10.7°	16.6°	255°
Nearest approach	27 Aug 2014	7.1	1.311 AU	0.580 AU	22h44m	+61°46'	107.9°	47.2°	186°
Today	26 Dec 2025	29.3	27.819 AU	28.772 AU	17h51m	-11°04'	13.9°	0.5°	333°

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.)

Light curve

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations from COBS. This lightcurve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 7.1 + 5 log[∆] + 10.3 log[r]). An additional green curve is displayed when an increase in apparent brightness is expected due to forward scattering of sunlight, which occurs when a dust-rich comet is located between the Earth and the Sun. (See Marcus 2007)

Charts

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.

Orbital elements

The orbital elements of C/2014 E2 (Jacques) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9986916
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.6600717
    i (Inclination)                 : 156.36097
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 56.51877
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 344.00393
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 71.23332
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -6.34395
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2456838.43158
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 11331.20

    Epoch                           : 2020 Dec 17
    Reference                       : MPEC 2020-SI8

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-12-25 00:00 UT   17 51 41.8   -11 04 38    28.769   27.813   13.4    0.5   338   29.3 
2025-12-26 00:00 UT   17 51 49.9   -11 04 38    28.771   27.818   13.8    0.5   334   29.3 
2025-12-26 07:04 UT   17 51 52.3   -11 04 38    28.772   27.819   13.9    0.5   333   29.3 
2025-12-27 00:00 UT   17 51 58.1   -11 04 38    28.774   27.822   14.2    0.5   330   29.3 
2025-12-28 00:00 UT   17 52 06.2   -11 04 38    28.776   27.827   14.7    0.5   327   29.3 
2025-12-29 00:00 UT   17 52 14.3   -11 04 37    28.778   27.831   15.3    0.5   324   29.3 
2025-12-30 00:00 UT   17 52 22.3   -11 04 36    28.780   27.836   15.9    0.6   321   29.3 
2025-12-31 00:00 UT   17 52 30.3   -11 04 34    28.781   27.840   16.5    0.6   318   29.3 
2026-01-01 00:00 UT   17 52 38.3   -11 04 31    28.782   27.845   17.2    0.6   316   29.3 
2026-01-02 00:00 UT   17 52 46.3   -11 04 29    28.783   27.849   17.9    0.6   313   29.3 
2026-01-03 00:00 UT   17 52 54.2   -11 04 25    28.783   27.854   18.6    0.6   311   29.3 
2026-01-04 00:00 UT   17 53 02.1   -11 04 21    28.783   27.858   19.4    0.7   309   29.3 
2026-01-05 00:00 UT   17 53 10.0   -11 04 17    28.783   27.863   20.1    0.7   307   29.3 

    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.