C/2017 E4 (Lovejoy)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	27 Mar 2017	9.5	0.736 AU	0.655 AU	21h15m	+07°08'	47.5°	91.6°	273°
Perihelion	19 Apr 2017	9.0	0.506 AU	1.108 AU	00h58m	+35°48'	27.2°	65.0°	332°
Today	7 Oct 2026	32.6	24.794 AU	24.540 AU	04h52m	-51°05'	103.6°	2.2°	297°

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 11.7 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 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/2017 E4 (Lovejoy) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0010600
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.5061290
    i (Inclination)                 : 88.03010
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 222.95670
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 87.34830
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 259.53970
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 86.69708
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2457863.01760

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194151

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-10-06 00:00 UT   04 52 38.4   -51 03 06    24.537   24.787  103.3    2.3   296   32.6 
2026-10-07 00:00 UT   04 52 31.2   -51 05 13    24.539   24.792  103.5    2.2   297   32.6 
2026-10-07 07:21 UT   04 52 28.9   -51 05 52    24.540   24.794  103.6    2.2   297   32.6 
2026-10-08 00:00 UT   04 52 23.6   -51 07 19    24.541   24.797  103.7    2.2   298   32.6 
2026-10-09 00:00 UT   04 52 15.8   -51 09 25    24.543   24.802  103.9    2.2   299   32.6 
2026-10-10 00:00 UT   04 52 07.8   -51 11 29    24.544   24.807  104.1    2.2   300   32.6 
2026-10-11 00:00 UT   04 51 59.6   -51 13 31    24.546   24.812  104.2    2.2   301   32.6 
2026-10-12 00:00 UT   04 51 51.1   -51 15 33    24.548   24.817  104.4    2.2   302   32.6 
2026-10-13 00:00 UT   04 51 42.4   -51 17 33    24.551   24.821  104.6    2.2   303   32.6 
2026-10-14 00:00 UT   04 51 33.5   -51 19 32    24.553   24.826  104.8    2.2   304   32.6 
2026-10-15 00:00 UT   04 51 24.3   -51 21 29    24.555   24.831  104.9    2.2   305   32.6 
2026-10-16 00:00 UT   04 51 14.9   -51 23 25    24.557   24.836  105.1    2.2   306   32.6 
2026-10-17 00:00 UT   04 51 05.3   -51 25 19    24.560   24.841  105.2    2.2   307   32.6 

    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.