Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)
Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) Sky Charts and Coordinates
This is a simplified sky chart, showing where Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) is now with respect to the brightest stars and constellations.
More advanced sky charts are available on TheSkyLive for this object: 1) the Online Planetarium which is interactive and allows to select dates and additional objects to visualize; and 2) the Live Position and Data Tracker which provides the highest precision position data and features deep sky imagery from the Digitized Sky Survey.
High Precision Live Sky Chart
The Observed Magnitude and Coma Diameter values are derived from the Comet Observers Database by averaging the values reported in recent observations (more recent than 4 days), when available. The Estimated Magnitude comes from the JPL Horizons ephemerides service and might be inaccurate given the highly dynamic and unpredictable behvior of comets. When available please refer to the Observed Magnitude value and consider the Estimated 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.
Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) Rise and Set Times
Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) is circumpolar from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change] and transits at 12:13 UTC (altitude: 89.7°)
Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) Orbit Diagram
This 3d orbit diagram is a feature of our 3D Solar System Simulator and shows the orbit of Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) with respect of the Sun and the orbits of the major planets. The position of Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) and the planets along their orbits in this diagram accurately represents the current configuration of the objects in the Solar System. This is an experimental feature and it requires a WebGL enabled browser. Please provide us feedback!
View Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) in the 3D Solar System Simulator
Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) computed for the past and next 7 days, with a 24 hours interval. Click on each row of the table to locate Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) in our Online Planetarium at the chosen date.
| Date | Right AscensionR.A. | DeclinationDec. | MagnitudeMag | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Dec 05 | 17h 34m 00s | +51° 57’ 15” | 18.28 | Draco |
| 2018 Dec 06 | 17h 34m 31s | +51° 55’ 35” | 18.28 | Draco |
| 2018 Dec 07 | 17h 35m 00s | +51° 53’ 57” | 18.28 | Draco |
| 2018 Dec 08 | 17h 35m 30s | +51° 52’ 26” | 18.28 | Draco |
| 2018 Dec 09 | 17h 36m 01s | +51° 50’ 57” | 18.27 | Draco |
| 2018 Dec 10 | 17h 36m 30s | +51° 49’ 32” | 18.27 | Draco |
| 2018 Dec 11 | 17h 37m 00s | +51° 48’ 11” | 18.27 | Draco |
| 2018 Dec 12 | 17h 37m 31s | +51° 46’ 55” | 18.27 | Draco |
| 2018 Dec 13 | 17h 38m 00s | +51° 45’ 43” | 18.26 | Draco |
| 2018 Dec 14 | 17h 38m 30s | +51° 44’ 35” | 18.26 | Draco |
| 2018 Dec 15 | 17h 39m 02s | +51° 43’ 32” | 18.26 | Draco |
| 2018 Dec 16 | 17h 39m 32s | +51° 42’ 33” | 18.26 | Draco |
| 2018 Dec 17 | 17h 40m 01s | +51° 41’ 36” | 18.26 | Draco |
| 2018 Dec 18 | 17h 40m 32s | +51° 40’ 45” | 18.25 | Draco |
Distance of Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) from Earth
The following chart shows the distance of Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) from Earth as a function of time. Distance data is measured in Astronomical Units and sampled with a 2 days interval.
The reported distances might be inaccurate around the times of closest approach for objects passing extremely close to Earth. The value of the distance of C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Light Curve of Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)
The following chart is the predicted light curve (visual magnitude as a function of time) of Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS), 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.
Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) at epoch 17 January 2018 00:00 UTC (JD: 2458136.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 1.00035150 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 87.54942775° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 1.80918358 AU 270,650,012 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q | n.a. |
| Semi-major axis | a | n.a. |
| Orbital period | period | n.a. |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2022-Dec-21 02:47:27 2,459,934.6163 JD |
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 236.03696640854° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 88.220055097223° |
| Mean anomaly | M | -0.0047993938232083° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.00000267°/day |
| Closest approach to Earth* | 2022-Jul-14 | |
| Distance of closest approach* | 1.80791361 AU 270,460,026 km |
|
* NOTE: values for the closest approach are computed for the time interval between 2013-Jan-01 and 2075-Dec-31, with a sampling interval of 1 day.