217P/LINEAR |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Perihelion | 24 May 2025 | 13.6 | 1.226 AU | 2.008 AU | 02h22m | +06°31' | 29.1° | 23.7° | 238° |
Today | 1 Jul 2025 | 14.0 | 1.318 AU | 2.083 AU | 04h37m | +14°03' | 30.9° | 23.3° | 248° |
Nearest approach | 2 Jan 2026 | 17.3 | 2.722 AU | 1.838 AU | 09h04m | +15°50' | 147.9° | 11.1° | 288° |
217P/LINEAR- 2025-07-01
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 217P/LINEAR are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.6890920
q (Perihelion distance) : 1.2263750
i (Inclination) : 12.86550
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 125.37130
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 247.03700
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 191.88038
B (Latitude of perihelion) : -11.83059
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2460820.44510
P (Orbital period in years) : 7.83
Epoch : 2025 Jun 30
Reference : MPEC 2025-MC0
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 11.04 + 5 log[∆] + 11.26 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
2025-07-01 00:00 UT 04 35 09.0 +13 57 59 2.080 1.315 30.8 23.3 248 14.0
2025-07-01 16:19 UT 04 37 26.8 +14 03 05 2.083 1.318 30.9 23.3 248 14.0
2025-07-02 00:00 UT 04 38 31.6 +14 05 27 2.084 1.319 30.9 23.3 248 14.0
2025-07-03 00:00 UT 04 41 53.3 +14 12 40 2.087 1.324 31.0 23.3 249 14.0
2025-07-04 00:00 UT 04 45 14.0 +14 19 39 2.090 1.329 31.1 23.3 249 14.0
2025-07-05 00:00 UT 04 48 33.8 +14 26 22 2.094 1.334 31.3 23.3 250 14.1
2025-07-06 00:00 UT 04 51 52.6 +14 32 52 2.097 1.338 31.4 23.3 250 14.1
2025-07-07 00:00 UT 04 55 10.4 +14 39 07 2.100 1.344 31.5 23.3 251 14.1
2025-07-08 00:00 UT 04 58 27.2 +14 45 07 2.104 1.349 31.7 23.3 251 14.1
2025-07-09 00:00 UT 05 01 43.0 +14 50 53 2.107 1.354 31.8 23.3 251 14.1
2025-07-10 00:00 UT 05 04 57.8 +14 56 26 2.111 1.359 32.0 23.3 252 14.2
2025-07-11 00:00 UT 05 08 11.6 +15 01 44 2.114 1.365 32.1 23.3 252 14.2
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.