Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels
Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels is in the constellation of
Libra,
at a distance of
Finder Charts
View interactive star map
High precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels 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 64P/Swift-Gehrels from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- 64P/Swift-Gehrels is above the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Right now it is placed in the South direction at an altitude of 10.62° above the horizon.
- Given its current magnitude, 64P/Swift-Gehrels is visible only through long exposure photography.
- Go to interactive sky chart
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Distance from Earth
The distance of Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels 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 64P/Swift-Gehrels from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Closest Approach
Between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2099, the closest approach of Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels to Earth happens on Sun Oct 28 2018 at a distance of 0.444805 Astronomical Units, or 66,541,817 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 64P/Swift-Gehrels, 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 64P/Swift-Gehrels at epoch 08 December 2017 00:00 UTC (JD: 2458096.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 0.68732017 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 8.94839346° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 1.39335048 AU 208,442,266 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q |
7.51896388 AU 1,124,820,988 km |
| Semi-major axis | a |
4.45615718 AU 666,631,627 km |
| Orbital period | period |
9.4070 years 3,435.8894 days |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2018-Nov-03 21:53:15 2,458,426.4120 JD |
| Next perihelion transit | 2028-Mar-31 19:14 2,461,862.3014 JD |
|
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 97.144196873722° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 300.00097941865° |
| Mean anomaly | M | 325.4330218687° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.10477636°/day |
View Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels in the 3D Solar System Simulator
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels 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 May 30 | 15h 21m 55s | -28° 10’ 03” | 23.21 | Libra |
| 2025 May 31 | 15h 21m 22s | -28° 07’ 35” | 23.21 | Libra |
| 2025 Jun 01 | 15h 20m 49s | -28° 05’ 06” | 23.21 | Libra |
| 2025 Jun 02 | 15h 20m 17s | -28° 02’ 35” | 23.21 | Libra |
| 2025 Jun 03 | 15h 19m 44s | -28° 00’ 04” | 23.21 | Libra |
| 2025 Jun 04 | 15h 19m 12s | -27° 57’ 32” | 23.21 | Libra |
| 2025 Jun 05 | 15h 18m 40s | -27° 54’ 59” | 23.21 | Libra |
| 2025 Jun 06 | 15h 18m 09s | -27° 52’ 25” | 23.21 | Libra |
| 2025 Jun 07 | 15h 17m 39s | -27° 49’ 50” | 23.21 | Libra |
| 2025 Jun 08 | 15h 17m 08s | -27° 47’ 15” | 23.21 | Libra |
| 2025 Jun 09 | 15h 16m 38s | -27° 44’ 39” | 23.21 | Libra |
| 2025 Jun 10 | 15h 16m 09s | -27° 42’ 01” | 23.21 | Libra |
| 2025 Jun 11 | 15h 15m 40s | -27° 39’ 25” | 23.21 | Libra |
| 2025 Jun 12 | 15h 15m 11s | -27° 36’ 47” | 23.21 | Libra |
Additional Resources on TheSkyLive
- Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels: Complete reference information on TheSkyLive.com.
- Where is Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels?: Key information on locating Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels in the sky.
- Distance from Earth: Find out how far Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels is from Earth right now.
- How Bright is Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels?: Current visual brightness (magnitude) and apparent size.
- Rise and Set Times: Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels's rise and set times from your location.
- Interactive Sky Map: planetarium-style interactive visualization of Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels's position in the sky.
- Live Position Tracker: high precision position tracker with deep space imagery.
- Ephemeris: 15 days Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels's computed ephemeris.
- Orbital elements: information about Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels orbital parameters.
- Orbit Visualization. 3d interactive visualization showing the orbit of Comet 64P/Swift-Gehrels with respect to the major Solar System objects.