C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	6 Jan 2015	3.9	1.330 AU	0.444 AU	04h26m	-01°48'	134.0°	32.1°	56°
Perihelion	27 Jan 2015	4.8	1.290 AU	0.697 AU	02h24m	+38°38'	98.8°	48.9°	73°
Today	8 Nov 2025	21.9	26.014 AU	26.688 AU	18h04m	-10°56'	46.3°	1.6°	77°

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 4.8 + 5 log[∆] + 7.1 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 Q2 (Lovejoy) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9967260
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.2904520
    i (Inclination)                 : 80.20620
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 95.03930
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 12.31650
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 97.16627
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 12.13425
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2457050.26200
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 7825.19

    Epoch                           : 2020 Sep 26
    Reference                       : MPC115880

    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
2025-11-07 00:00 UT   18 04 36.5   -10 56 08    26.659   26.006   48.0    1.6    78   21.9 
2025-11-08 00:00 UT   18 04 43.1   -10 56 36    26.675   26.011   47.0    1.6    78   21.9 
2025-11-08 17:49 UT   18 04 48.1   -10 56 57    26.688   26.014   46.3    1.6    77   21.9 
2025-11-09 00:00 UT   18 04 49.8   -10 57 04    26.692   26.015   46.1    1.6    77   22.0 
2025-11-10 00:00 UT   18 04 56.6   -10 57 30    26.708   26.020   45.2    1.5    77   22.0 
2025-11-11 00:00 UT   18 05 03.5   -10 57 57    26.724   26.024   44.2    1.5    76   22.0 
2025-11-12 00:00 UT   18 05 10.5   -10 58 23    26.740   26.029   43.3    1.5    76   22.0 
2025-11-13 00:00 UT   18 05 17.6   -10 58 49    26.756   26.034   42.4    1.5    75   22.0 
2025-11-14 00:00 UT   18 05 24.8   -10 59 14    26.771   26.038   41.4    1.4    75   22.0 
2025-11-15 00:00 UT   18 05 32.0   -10 59 39    26.786   26.043   40.5    1.4    74   22.0 
2025-11-16 00:00 UT   18 05 39.4   -11 00 03    26.801   26.047   39.6    1.4    74   22.0 
2025-11-17 00:00 UT   18 05 46.9   -11 00 27    26.816   26.052   38.7    1.4    73   22.0 
2025-11-18 00:00 UT   18 05 54.4   -11 00 50    26.830   26.056   37.8    1.3    73   22.0 

    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.