C/2017 E1 (Borisov)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Nearest approach18 Mar 201711.50.995 AU1.331 AU20h42m-08°22'48.0°48.1°263°
Perihelion10 Apr 201710.80.908 AU1.417 AU22h43m-03°31'39.6°44.7°253°
Today19 Apr 202441.719.910 AU20.402 AU05h54m+12°14'59.4°2.5°96°
C/2017 E1 (Borisov)- 2024-04-19
astro.vanbuitenen.nl


 
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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 C/2017 E1 (Borisov) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0032610
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.9078320
            i (Inclination)                 : 14.57020
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 142.57660
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 152.79570
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 116.12653
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 6.60403
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2457853.85400

            Epoch                           : 2022 May 26
            Reference                       : MPC106346

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)
        

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 (14.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 10.88 + 5 log[∆] + 18.70 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
2024-04-19 00:00 UT   05 54 35.5   +12 13 38    20.385   19.905   60.2    2.5    96   41.7 
2024-04-19 20:40 UT   05 54 41.4   +12 14 06    20.402   19.910   59.4    2.5    96   41.7 
2024-04-20 00:00 UT   05 54 42.4   +12 14 10    20.405   19.911   59.3    2.5    96   41.7 
2024-04-21 00:00 UT   05 54 49.4   +12 14 41    20.424   19.916   58.3    2.5    96   41.7 
2024-04-22 00:00 UT   05 54 56.5   +12 15 12    20.444   19.921   57.4    2.4    97   41.7 
2024-04-23 00:00 UT   05 55 03.8   +12 15 43    20.463   19.927   56.5    2.4    97   41.7 
2024-04-24 00:00 UT   05 55 11.3   +12 16 13    20.483   19.932   55.6    2.4    97   41.7 
2024-04-25 00:00 UT   05 55 18.9   +12 16 42    20.502   19.938   54.7    2.4    98   41.7 
2024-04-26 00:00 UT   05 55 26.7   +12 17 12    20.521   19.943   53.8    2.3    98   41.8 
2024-04-27 00:00 UT   05 55 34.6   +12 17 41    20.540   19.949   52.8    2.3    98   41.8 
2024-04-28 00:00 UT   05 55 42.7   +12 18 09    20.558   19.954   51.9    2.3    98   41.8 
2024-04-29 00:00 UT   05 55 50.8   +12 18 37    20.577   19.959   51.0    2.2    99   41.8 


    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.