C/2014 E2 (Jacques)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	30 Jun 2014	6.4	0.679 AU	1.646 AU	05h50m	+20°49'	11.3°	17.1°	256°
Nearest approach	28 Aug 2014	7.1	1.316 AU	0.579 AU	22h49m	+61°22'	108.7°	46.6°	186°
Today	23 Jun 2026	29.3	28.617 AU	27.628 AU	17h49m	-10°15'	166.2°	0.5°	163°

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 7.1 + 5 log[∆] + 10.3 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/2014 E2 (Jacques) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9988180
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.6789200
    i (Inclination)                 : 156.49240
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 56.26540
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 344.08250
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 70.92112
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -6.28024
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2456839.35930
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 13765.81

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194136

    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
2026-06-22 00:00 UT   17 49 28.2   -10 15 41    27.621   28.611  166.5    0.5   168   29.3 
2026-06-23 00:00 UT   17 49 19.3   -10 15 42    27.626   28.615  166.3    0.5   164   29.3 
2026-06-23 07:29 UT   17 49 16.5   -10 15 43    27.628   28.617  166.2    0.5   163   29.3 
2026-06-24 00:00 UT   17 49 10.4   -10 15 44    27.632   28.620  166.0    0.5   160   29.3 
2026-06-25 00:00 UT   17 49 01.6   -10 15 46    27.638   28.624  165.6    0.5   157   29.3 
2026-06-26 00:00 UT   17 48 52.8   -10 15 48    27.644   28.629  165.2    0.5   153   29.3 
2026-06-27 00:00 UT   17 48 43.9   -10 15 52    27.651   28.633  164.7    0.5   150   29.3 
2026-06-28 00:00 UT   17 48 35.2   -10 15 55    27.657   28.637  164.2    0.6   147   29.3 
2026-06-29 00:00 UT   17 48 26.4   -10 15 59    27.664   28.642  163.6    0.6   144   29.3 
2026-06-30 00:00 UT   17 48 17.7   -10 16 04    27.672   28.646  163.0    0.6   141   29.3 
2026-07-01 00:00 UT   17 48 09.0   -10 16 09    27.679   28.651  162.4    0.6   139   29.3 
2026-07-02 00:00 UT   17 48 00.3   -10 16 14    27.687   28.655  161.7    0.6   136   29.3 
2026-07-03 00:00 UT   17 47 51.7   -10 16 20    27.696   28.660  161.0    0.7   134   29.3 

    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.