C/2019 K4 (Ye)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	15 Jun 2019	16.8	2.276 AU	2.719 AU	01h25m	+42°56'	54.0°	21.2°	271°
Nearest approach	17 Sep 2019	16.0	2.510 AU	1.525 AU	00h13m	+09°07'	165.1°	5.9°	219°
Today	15 Dec 2025	29.8	17.568 AU	17.865 AU	09h52m	-80°27'	70.9°	3.0°	298°

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 11.1 + 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/2019 K4 (Ye) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9986250
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.2757280
    i (Inclination)                 : 105.28280
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 180.33940
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 140.03270
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 192.79690
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 38.28946
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458649.87620
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 67332.77

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPC119997

    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
2025-12-14 00:00 UT   09 53 36.3   -80 24 06    17.860   17.561   70.8    3.0   296   29.8 
2025-12-15 00:00 UT   09 53 06.3   -80 26 46    17.863   17.567   70.9    3.0   297   29.8 
2025-12-15 07:52 UT   09 52 56.1   -80 27 39    17.865   17.568   70.9    3.0   298   29.8 
2025-12-16 00:00 UT   09 52 34.8   -80 29 25    17.867   17.572   71.0    3.0   299   29.8 
2025-12-17 00:00 UT   09 52 01.8   -80 32 01    17.870   17.577   71.1    3.0   300   29.8 
2025-12-18 00:00 UT   09 51 27.4   -80 34 36    17.874   17.583   71.2    3.0   301   29.8 
2025-12-19 00:00 UT   09 50 51.5   -80 37 09    17.877   17.588   71.4    3.0   302   29.8 
2025-12-20 00:00 UT   09 50 14.1   -80 39 39    17.880   17.594   71.5    3.0   303   29.8 
2025-12-21 00:00 UT   09 49 35.2   -80 42 07    17.883   17.599   71.6    3.0   304   29.8 
2025-12-22 00:00 UT   09 48 54.9   -80 44 34    17.887   17.604   71.8    3.0   306   29.8 
2025-12-23 00:00 UT   09 48 13.1   -80 46 58    17.889   17.610   71.9    3.0   307   29.8 
2025-12-24 00:00 UT   09 47 29.8   -80 49 19    17.892   17.615   72.1    3.0   308   29.8 
2025-12-25 00:00 UT   09 46 45.1   -80 51 38    17.895   17.621   72.2    3.0   309   29.8 

    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.