217P/LINEAR
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	25 Apr 2024	20.1	3.900 AU	3.036 AU	16h35m	-06°43'	144.6°	8.6°	256°
Perihelion	24 May 2025	13.4	1.226 AU	2.009 AU	02h21m	+06°31'	29.1°	23.6°	238°
Nearest approach	2 Jan 2026	17.2	2.722 AU	1.838 AU	09h03m	+15°49'	147.9°	11.1°	288°

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 217P/LINEAR are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.6892370
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.2264150
            i (Inclination)                 : 12.86350
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 125.38160
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 247.01260
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 191.86602
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -11.82659
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460820.40210
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 7.84

            Epoch                           : 2024 Apr 25
            Reference                       : MPEC 2023-J29

            Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
            Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.549
        

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 (12.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 10.82 + 5 log[∆] + 11.57 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
2024-04-25 00:00 UT   16 35 48.8   -06 46 39     3.049    3.905  143.7    8.8   257   20.1 
2024-04-25 21:11 UT   16 35 21.7   -06 43 38     3.036    3.900  144.6    8.6   256   20.1 
2024-04-26 00:00 UT   16 35 18.0   -06 43 14     3.034    3.899  144.7    8.6   256   20.1 
2024-04-27 00:00 UT   16 34 46.2   -06 39 49     3.020    3.893  145.7    8.4   255   20.1 
2024-04-28 00:00 UT   16 34 13.4   -06 36 25     3.006    3.887  146.7    8.2   254   20.0 
2024-04-29 00:00 UT   16 33 39.6   -06 33 02     2.993    3.881  147.6    8.0   253   20.0 
2024-04-30 00:00 UT   16 33 04.8   -06 29 40     2.980    3.875  148.6    7.8   252   20.0 
2024-05-01 00:00 UT   16 32 29.0   -06 26 20     2.967    3.869  149.6    7.6   251   20.0 
2024-05-02 00:00 UT   16 31 52.3   -06 23 00     2.954    3.863  150.5    7.4   250   20.0 
2024-05-03 00:00 UT   16 31 14.7   -06 19 42     2.941    3.857  151.4    7.2   249   19.9 
2024-05-04 00:00 UT   16 30 36.1   -06 16 26     2.929    3.851  152.4    7.0   247   19.9 
2024-05-05 00:00 UT   16 29 56.6   -06 13 12     2.917    3.844  153.3    6.8   246   19.9 

    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.