C/2017 T1 (Heinze)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	5 Jan 2018	10.0	1.154 AU	0.217 AU	05h35m	+61°49'	137.9°	34.8°	149°
Perihelion	22 Feb 2018	10.6	0.575 AU	1.226 AU	21h40m	+15°21'	27.5°	52.7°	337°
Today	8 Aug 2026	33.5	22.759 AU	22.679 AU	07h43m	-76°07'	93.3°	2.5°	201°

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 12.6 + 5 log[∆] + 10.4 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 T1 (Heinze) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9998480
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.5753040
    i (Inclination)                 : 97.01840
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 103.00210
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 96.92730
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 148.16464
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 80.15089
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458172.05050
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 232852.39

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194153

    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
2026-08-07 00:00 UT   07 42 30.1   -76 05 50    22.666   22.752   93.6    2.6   200   33.5 
2026-08-08 00:00 UT   07 43 08.9   -76 06 37    22.674   22.757   93.4    2.5   201   33.5 
2026-08-08 12:10 UT   07 43 28.4   -76 07 02    22.679   22.759   93.3    2.5   201   33.5 
2026-08-09 00:00 UT   07 43 47.4   -76 07 26    22.683   22.762   93.2    2.5   202   33.5 
2026-08-10 00:00 UT   07 44 25.7   -76 08 17    22.691   22.767   93.0    2.5   202   33.5 
2026-08-11 00:00 UT   07 45 03.7   -76 09 11    22.700   22.772   92.7    2.5   203   33.5 
2026-08-12 00:00 UT   07 45 41.6   -76 10 06    22.709   22.777   92.5    2.5   204   33.5 
2026-08-13 00:00 UT   07 46 19.2   -76 11 03    22.717   22.782   92.3    2.5   205   33.5 
2026-08-14 00:00 UT   07 46 56.5   -76 12 02    22.726   22.787   92.1    2.5   206   33.5 
2026-08-15 00:00 UT   07 47 33.6   -76 13 03    22.735   22.792   91.9    2.5   206   33.5 
2026-08-16 00:00 UT   07 48 10.4   -76 14 06    22.744   22.797   91.7    2.5   207   33.5 
2026-08-17 00:00 UT   07 48 46.9   -76 15 11    22.752   22.802   91.5    2.5   208   33.5 
2026-08-18 00:00 UT   07 49 23.2   -76 16 18    22.761   22.807   91.3    2.5   209   33.5 

    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.