Comet Encke (2P/Encke)
Comet Encke (2P/Encke) is in the constellation of
Pisces,
at a distance of
Finder Charts
View interactive star map
High precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Comet Encke (2P/Encke) is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet Encke (2P/Encke)?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet Encke (2P/Encke) 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 Encke (2P/Encke) from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- 2P/Encke is above the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Right now it is placed in the West-South-West direction at an altitude of 16.05° above the horizon.
- Given its current magnitude, 2P/Encke is visible only through long exposure photography.
- Go to interactive sky chart
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Distance from Earth
The distance of Comet Encke (2P/Encke) from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Comet Encke (2P/Encke) 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 2P/Encke from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Closest Approach
Between 1 January 1900 and 31 December 2099, the closest approach of Comet Encke (2P/Encke) to Earth happens on Sat Jul 5 1997 at a distance of 0.190257 Astronomical Units, or 28,462,061 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 Encke (2P/Encke), 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 Encke (2P/Encke) at epoch 06 January 2017 00:00 UTC (JD: 2457760.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 0.84833408 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 11.77822630° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 0.33590100 AU 50,250,075 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q |
4.09358455 AU 612,391,533 km |
| Semi-major axis | a |
2.21474278 AU 331,320,804 km |
| Orbital period | period |
3.2960 years 1,203.8805 days |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2017-Mar-10 02:13:14 2,457,822.5925 JD |
| Next perihelion transit | 2020-Jun-25 23:21 2,459,026.4730 JD |
|
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 186.56269392° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 334.56005331322° |
| Mean anomaly | M | 341.43228384528° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.29903301°/day |
View Comet Encke (2P/Encke) in the 3D Solar System Simulator
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet Encke (2P/Encke) 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 31 | 23h 38m 10s | -01° 01’ 07” | 21.39 | Pisces |
| 2025 Jun 01 | 23h 38m 31s | -00° 57’ 59” | 21.38 | Pisces |
| 2025 Jun 02 | 23h 38m 52s | -00° 54’ 54” | 21.37 | Pisces |
| 2025 Jun 03 | 23h 39m 11s | -00° 51’ 54” | 21.37 | Pisces |
| 2025 Jun 04 | 23h 39m 30s | -00° 48’ 57” | 21.36 | Pisces |
| 2025 Jun 05 | 23h 39m 48s | -00° 46’ 05” | 21.35 | Pisces |
| 2025 Jun 06 | 23h 40m 06s | -00° 43’ 17” | 21.34 | Pisces |
| 2025 Jun 07 | 23h 40m 23s | -00° 40’ 32” | 21.33 | Pisces |
| 2025 Jun 08 | 23h 40m 39s | -00° 37’ 52” | 21.33 | Pisces |
| 2025 Jun 09 | 23h 40m 54s | -00° 35’ 16” | 21.32 | Pisces |
| 2025 Jun 10 | 23h 41m 09s | -00° 32’ 45” | 21.31 | Pisces |
| 2025 Jun 11 | 23h 41m 23s | -00° 30’ 18” | 21.30 | Pisces |
| 2025 Jun 12 | 23h 41m 36s | -00° 27’ 56” | 21.29 | Pisces |
| 2025 Jun 13 | 23h 41m 48s | -00° 25’ 38” | 21.28 | Pisces |
Additional Resources on TheSkyLive
- Comet Encke (2P/Encke): Complete reference information on TheSkyLive.com.
- Where is Comet Encke (2P/Encke)?: Key information on locating Comet Encke (2P/Encke) in the sky.
- Distance from Earth: Find out how far Comet Encke (2P/Encke) is from Earth right now.
- How Bright is Comet Encke (2P/Encke)?: Current visual brightness (magnitude) and apparent size.
- Rise and Set Times: Comet Encke (2P/Encke)'s rise and set times from your location.
- Interactive Sky Map: planetarium-style interactive visualization of Comet Encke (2P/Encke)'s position in the sky.
- Live Position Tracker: high precision position tracker with deep space imagery.
- Ephemeris: 15 days Comet Encke (2P/Encke)'s computed ephemeris.
- Orbital elements: information about Comet Encke (2P/Encke) orbital parameters.
- Orbit Visualization. 3d interactive visualization showing the orbit of Comet Encke (2P/Encke) with respect to the major Solar System objects.