C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	7 Jan 2015	4.0	1.331 AU	0.477 AU	04h14m	-05°40'	127.9°	35.7°	56°
Perihelion	31 Jan 2015	4.9	1.284 AU	0.750 AU	02h21m	+36°32'	94.5°	49.9°	71°
Today	5 Jan 2026	22.0	26.271 AU	27.211 AU	18h12m	-11°12'	16.6°	0.6°	315°

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)                : 0.9968100
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.2840310
    i (Inclination)                 : 80.70150
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 94.84540
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 12.33350
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 96.86874
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 12.16894
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2457053.52670
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 8075.65

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jan 04
    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
2026-01-04 00:00 UT   18 12 28.3   -11 12 54    27.210   26.266   15.8    0.6   318   22.0 
2026-01-05 00:00 UT   18 12 37.2   -11 12 53    27.211   26.270   16.4    0.6   316   22.0 
2026-01-05 05:53 UT   18 12 39.4   -11 12 53    27.211   26.271   16.6    0.6   315   22.0 
2026-01-06 00:00 UT   18 12 46.1   -11 12 52    27.212   26.275   17.1    0.6   313   22.0 
2026-01-07 00:00 UT   18 12 54.9   -11 12 51    27.213   26.279   17.8    0.7   311   22.0 
2026-01-08 00:00 UT   18 13 03.8   -11 12 49    27.214   26.284   18.5    0.7   309   22.0 
2026-01-09 00:00 UT   18 13 12.6   -11 12 46    27.214   26.288   19.3    0.7   307   22.0 
2026-01-10 00:00 UT   18 13 21.3   -11 12 44    27.214   26.293   20.0    0.7   305   22.0 
2026-01-11 00:00 UT   18 13 30.0   -11 12 40    27.214   26.297   20.8    0.8   303   22.0 
2026-01-12 00:00 UT   18 13 38.7   -11 12 36    27.213   26.302   21.6    0.8   302   22.0 
2026-01-13 00:00 UT   18 13 47.3   -11 12 32    27.212   26.306   22.4    0.8   300   22.0 
2026-01-14 00:00 UT   18 13 55.8   -11 12 27    27.211   26.311   23.3    0.8   299   22.0 
2026-01-15 00:00 UT   18 14 04.3   -11 12 22    27.210   26.316   24.1    0.9   297   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.