C/2018 K1 (Weiland) |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Perihelion | 8 Apr 2018 | 18.4 | 1.880 AU | 2.218 AU | 21h43m | -21°41' | 57.5° | 26.7° | 246° |
Nearest approach | 9 Jun 2018 | 17.0 | 2.025 AU | 1.017 AU | 17h51m | -25°09' | 170.0° | 5.0° | 281° |
Today | 9 Oct 2025 | 32.9 | 18.213 AU | 18.850 AU | 10h21m | +25°11' | 49.2° | 2.4° | 304° |
C/2018 K1 (Weiland)- 2025-10-09
astro.vanbuitenen.nl
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/2018 K1 (Weiland) are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.9378170
q (Perihelion distance) : 1.8796280
i (Inclination) : 164.18610
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 260.20330
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 325.25290
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 293.92230
B (Latitude of perihelion) : -8.93539
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2458216.66380
P (Orbital period in years) : 166.19
Epoch : 2023 Apr 14
Reference : MPC114602
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 (14.90 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 13.92 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 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
2025-10-09 00:00 UT 10 21 41.4 +25 11 51 18.850 18.213 49.1 2.4 304 32.9
2025-10-09 00:31 UT 10 21 41.6 +25 11 51 18.850 18.213 49.2 2.4 304 32.9
2025-10-10 00:00 UT 10 21 49.3 +25 11 44 18.842 18.217 50.1 2.4 304 32.9
2025-10-11 00:00 UT 10 21 57.0 +25 11 38 18.833 18.221 51.0 2.4 304 32.9
2025-10-12 00:00 UT 10 22 04.6 +25 11 33 18.824 18.226 51.9 2.5 303 32.9
2025-10-13 00:00 UT 10 22 12.0 +25 11 29 18.816 18.230 52.8 2.5 303 32.9
2025-10-14 00:00 UT 10 22 19.3 +25 11 27 18.807 18.235 53.7 2.5 302 32.9
2025-10-15 00:00 UT 10 22 26.4 +25 11 26 18.797 18.239 54.6 2.6 302 32.9
2025-10-16 00:00 UT 10 22 33.3 +25 11 27 18.788 18.243 55.6 2.6 302 32.9
2025-10-17 00:00 UT 10 22 40.1 +25 11 28 18.779 18.248 56.5 2.6 301 32.9
2025-10-18 00:00 UT 10 22 46.8 +25 11 32 18.769 18.252 57.4 2.6 301 32.9
2025-10-19 00:00 UT 10 22 53.2 +25 11 37 18.759 18.257 58.4 2.7 301 32.9
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.