Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf
Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf is in the constellation of
Scorpius,
at a distance of
Finder Charts
View interactive star map
High precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf in the sky and additional links to sky charts.
Celestial Coordinates
Apparent
J2000
Additional Information
The observed values of Magnitude, Coma Diameter and Tail Length are derived from the most recent observation recorded at the Comet Observers Database. The value of Predicted Magnitude comes from the JPL Horizons ephemerides service and, in the case of comets, might be inaccurate given the highly dynamic and unpredictable behavior of these objects. When available, please refer to the Observed Magnitude value and consider the Predicted Magnitude as a directional indication. We acknowledge with thanks the comet observations from the COBS Comet Observation Database contributed by observers worldwide and used in this table to report recent comet observations.
Rise and Set Times
Today's rise, transit and set times of Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf is below the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Given its current magnitude, 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf is visible only through long exposure photography.
- Go to interactive sky chart
If you need to access this information frequently for your observations, you can create a simple customized Quick Access page, so that you can easily bookmark it in your browser favorites or add a shortcut to your mobile phones' home screen.
Distance from Earth
The distance of Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf from Earth as a function of time. In the chart the distance data is measured in Astronomical Units and sampled with an interval of 1 day.
The value of the reported distance might be somewhat inaccurate around the times of closest approach for objects passing extremely close to Earth. The value of the distance of 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Closest Approach
Between 1 January 2013 and 30 December 2100, the closest approach of Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf to Earth happens on Tue Jun 10 2059 at a distance of 1.485167 Astronomical Units, or 222,177,799 kilometers:
NOTE: values for the closest approach are computed with a sampling interval of 1 day.
Light Curve
The following chart is the predicted light curve (visual magnitude as a function of time) of Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf, according to the most recent ephemerides data. Magnitude data is sampled with a 2 days interval and there might be inaccuracies for objects changing brightness very rapidly during the course of a few days. For comets there could be large discrepancies between the observed and predicted brightness because of their highly dynamic behaviour.
Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf at epoch 30 September 1989 00:00 UTC (JD: 2447800.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 0.97195226 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 19.33394047° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 0.47875271 AU 71,620,386 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q |
33.65966096 AU 5,035,413,618 km |
| Semi-major axis | a |
17.06920683 AU 2,553,517,002 km |
| Orbital period | period |
70.5226 years 25,758.3736 days |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 1989-Sep-11 22:29:54 2,447,781.4374 JD |
| Next perihelion transit | 2060-Mar-21 07:27 2,473,539.8111 JD |
|
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 129.61068367887° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 311.58546221411° |
| Mean anomaly | M | 0.26641915255031° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.01397604°/day |
Orbit Visualization
View Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf in the 3D Solar System Simulator
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf computed for the past and next 7 days, with a 24 hours interval. Apparent celestial coordinates are provided.
| Date | Right AscensionR.A. | DeclinationDec. | MagnitudeMag | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Jan 11 | 17h 31m 08s | -37° 40’ 48” | 27.67 | Scorpius |
| 2025 Jan 12 | 17h 31m 16s | -37° 41’ 05” | 27.67 | Scorpius |
| 2025 Jan 13 | 17h 31m 24s | -37° 41’ 22” | 27.66 | Scorpius |
| 2025 Jan 14 | 17h 31m 32s | -37° 41’ 39” | 27.66 | Scorpius |
| 2025 Jan 15 | 17h 31m 40s | -37° 41’ 55” | 27.66 | Scorpius |
| 2025 Jan 16 | 17h 31m 48s | -37° 42’ 13” | 27.66 | Scorpius |
| 2025 Jan 17 | 17h 31m 55s | -37° 42’ 32” | 27.66 | Scorpius |
| 2025 Jan 18 | 17h 32m 03s | -37° 42’ 49” | 27.66 | Scorpius |
| 2025 Jan 19 | 17h 32m 11s | -37° 43’ 08” | 27.66 | Scorpius |
| 2025 Jan 20 | 17h 32m 18s | -37° 43’ 27” | 27.66 | Scorpius |
| 2025 Jan 21 | 17h 32m 25s | -37° 43’ 46” | 27.66 | Scorpius |
| 2025 Jan 22 | 17h 32m 33s | -37° 44’ 05” | 27.66 | Scorpius |
| 2025 Jan 23 | 17h 32m 40s | -37° 44’ 25” | 27.66 | Scorpius |
| 2025 Jan 24 | 17h 32m 47s | -37° 44’ 45” | 27.66 | Scorpius |
Additional Resources
- Position and finder charts (see also Where is Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf?)
- Distance from Earth (see also How far is Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf from Earth?)
- When does Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf rise and set?
- Brightness (see also How bright is Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf?)
- Orbital elements. Detailed information about Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf orbital parameters.
- Interactive orbit visualization. 3d visualization showing the orbit of Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf with respect to the major Solar System objects.
- 15 days ephemerides. Table showing celestial coordinates and magnitude of Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf for the past and next 7 days.
- Interactive sky chart. An online planetarium application that shows where to locate Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf in the sky from your location.
- Live position tracker. A high precision sky chart that uses real deep sky imagery to help locate Comet 23P/Brorsen-Metcalf with your telescope or on your astrophotographies.