C/2019 K4 (Ye)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	15 Jun 2019	16.8	2.274 AU	2.716 AU	01h26m	+43°00'	54.1°	21.2°	270°
Nearest approach	17 Sep 2019	16.0	2.508 AU	1.523 AU	00h13m	+09°10'	165.1°	5.9°	219°
Today	24 Aug 2026	30.2	18.907 AU	18.949 AU	09h29m	-74°34'	86.1°	3.1°	190°

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 11.1 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 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/2019 K4 (Ye) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9986660
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.2741790
    i (Inclination)                 : 105.27560
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 180.39240
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 140.03260
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 192.84439
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 38.29110
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458650.08980
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 70388.75

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194161

    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
2026-08-23 00:00 UT   09 28 11.5   -74 34 30    18.937   18.901   86.4    3.1   189   30.2 
2026-08-24 00:00 UT   09 28 58.0   -74 34 53    18.947   18.906   86.1    3.1   190   30.2 
2026-08-24 03:03 UT   09 29 03.9   -74 34 56    18.949   18.907   86.1    3.1   190   30.2 
2026-08-25 00:00 UT   09 29 44.3   -74 35 18    18.958   18.912   85.8    3.1   191   30.2 
2026-08-26 00:00 UT   09 30 30.5   -74 35 45    18.968   18.917   85.5    3.1   192   30.2 
2026-08-27 00:00 UT   09 31 16.5   -74 36 15    18.979   18.922   85.2    3.1   192   30.2 
2026-08-28 00:00 UT   09 32 02.3   -74 36 47    18.989   18.927   84.9    3.0   193   30.2 
2026-08-29 00:00 UT   09 32 47.9   -74 37 22    19.000   18.933   84.6    3.0   194   30.2 
2026-08-30 00:00 UT   09 33 33.4   -74 37 59    19.010   18.938   84.3    3.0   195   30.2 
2026-08-31 00:00 UT   09 34 18.7   -74 38 38    19.021   18.943   84.0    3.0   195   30.2 
2026-09-01 00:00 UT   09 35 03.8   -74 39 20    19.031   18.948   83.7    3.0   196   30.2 
2026-09-02 00:00 UT   09 35 48.7   -74 40 04    19.042   18.953   83.4    3.0   197   30.2 
2026-09-03 00:00 UT   09 36 33.4   -74 40 51    19.052   18.959   83.1    3.0   198   30.2 

    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.