******************************************************************************* JPL/HORIZONS PANSTARRS (C/2017 K2) 2025-Nov-16 06:47:18 Rec #:90004436 (+COV) Soln.date: 2025-Nov-13_12:12:34 # obs: 3169 (2013-2025) IAU76/J2000 helio. ecliptic osc. elements (au, days, deg., period=Julian yrs): EPOCH= 2459446.5 ! 2021-Aug-20.0000000 (TDB) RMSW= n.a. EC= 1.000610111909689 QR= 1.797371472604488 TP= 2459933.2352173356 OM= 88.24169193038249 W= 236.1907455087348 IN= 87.55431803799777 A= -2945.970147543058 MA= -.003000228496938724ADIST= 9.999999E99 PER= 9.999999E99 N= 6.164E-6 ANGMOM= .032619822 DAN= 8.11279 DDN= 2.30981 L= 271.8876936 B= -56.1128923 MOID= 1.09116006 TP= 2022-Dec-19.7352173356 Comet physical (GM= km^3/s^2; RAD= km): GM= n.a. RAD= n.a. M1= 8.5 M2= n.a. k1= 4.5 k2= n.a. PHCOF= n.a. Comet non-gravitational force model (AMRAT=m^2/kg;A1-A3=au/d^2;DT=days;R0=au): AMRAT= 0. DT= 0. A1= 2.296978712082E-8 A2= -2.598406970501E-9 A3= -1.06179857254E-8 Standard model: ALN= .1112620426 NK= 4.6142 NM= 2.15 NN= 5.093 R0= 2.808 COMET comments 1: soln ref.= JPL#174, data arc: 2013-05-12 to 2025-11-11 2: k1=4.5; ******************************************************************************* ******************************************************************************* Ephemeris / WWW_USER Sun Nov 16 06:47:18 2025 Pasadena, USA / Horizons ******************************************************************************* Target body name: PANSTARRS (C/2017 K2) {source: JPL#174} Center body name: Sun (10) {source: DE441} Center-site name: BODY CENTER ******************************************************************************* Start time : A.D. 2023-Nov-01 00:00:00.0000 TDB Stop time : A.D. 2024-Jan-15 00:00:00.0000 TDB Step-size : 7200 minutes ******************************************************************************* Center geodetic : 0.0, 0.0, 0.0 {E-lon(deg),Lat(deg),Alt(km)} Center cylindric: 0.0, 0.0, 0.0 {E-lon(deg),Dxy(km),Dz(km)} Center radii : 695700.0, 695700.0, 695700.0 km {Equator_a, b, pole_c} Keplerian GM : 2.9591220828411951E-04 au^3/d^2 Small perturbers: Yes {source: SB441-N16} Output units : AU-D, deg, Julian Day Number (Tp) Calendar mode : Mixed Julian/Gregorian Output type : GEOMETRIC osculating elements Output format : 10 Reference frame : Ecliptic of J2000.0 ******************************************************************************* Initial IAU76/J2000 heliocentric ecliptic osculating elements (au, days, deg.): EPOCH= 2459446.5 ! 2021-Aug-20.0000000 (TDB) RMSW= n.a. EC= 1.000610111909689 QR= 1.797371472604488 TP= 2459933.2352173356 OM= 88.24169193038249 W= 236.1907455087348 IN= 87.55431803799777 Equivalent ICRF heliocentric cartesian coordinates (au, au/d): X=-2.922732574155451E-01 Y=-4.756517901772268E+00 Z= 2.869425844000084E+00 VX= 4.449032568905524E-04 VY= 4.231858593066077E-03 VZ=-9.401366771657673E-03 Comet physical (GM= km^3/s^2; RAD= km): GM= n.a. RAD= n.a. M1= 8.5 M2= n.a. k1= 4.5 k2= n.a. PHCOF= n.a. Comet non-gravitational force model (AMRAT=m^2/kg;A1-A3=au/d^2;DT=days;R0=au): AMRAT= 0. DT= 0. A1= 2.296978712082E-8 A2= -2.598406970501E-9 A3= -1.06179857254E-8 Standard model: ALN= .1112620426 NK= 4.6142 NM= 2.15 NN= 5.093 R0= 2.808 ******************************************************************************* JDTDB EC QR IN OM W Tp N MA TA A AD PR ******************************************************************************* $$SOE 2460249.500000000 = A.D. 2023-Nov-01 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000641208036713E+00 QR= 1.797233152448812E+00 IN= 8.756626440987795E+01 OM= 8.823458367542426E+01 W = 2.362004316551499E+02 Tp= 2459933.167600335553 N = 6.641954217518649E-06 MA= 2.101065316087764E-03 TA= 9.666828305191423E+01 A =-2.802886192230753E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460254.500000000 = A.D. 2023-Nov-06 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000634879987099E+00 QR= 1.797243079430695E+00 IN= 8.756647635690277E+01 OM= 8.823447629654547E+01 W = 2.362005117219326E+02 Tp= 2459933.166192752309 N = 6.543819324500129E-06 MA= 2.102750377482455E-03 TA= 9.722660359078161E+01 A =-2.830839081325207E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460259.500000000 = A.D. 2023-Nov-11 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000628463715562E+00 QR= 1.797253297119703E+00 IN= 8.756670663966928E+01 OM= 8.823436240466971E+01 W = 2.362005925993676E+02 Tp= 2459933.164726099465 N = 6.444814971551850E-06 MA= 2.103170458979277E-03 TA= 9.777283165189219E+01 A =-2.859756661546811E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460264.500000000 = A.D. 2023-Nov-16 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000621975758846E+00 QR= 1.797263821846357E+00 IN= 8.756695577541943E+01 OM= 8.823424210001882E+01 W = 2.362006751727261E+02 Tp= 2459933.163202246185 N = 6.345217502359994E-06 MA= 2.102404048282237E-03 TA= 9.830736948439669E+01 A =-2.889604291303324E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460269.500000000 = A.D. 2023-Nov-21 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000615430884426E+00 QR= 1.797274670482158E+00 IN= 8.756722401381737E+01 OM= 8.823411561133379E+01 W = 2.362007602839462E+02 Tp= 2459933.161622829270 N = 6.245271506163073E-06 MA= 2.100524483373380E-03 TA= 9.883060221055699E+01 A =-2.920351766486316E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460274.500000000 = A.D. 2023-Nov-26 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000608839206060E+00 QR= 1.797285858408416E+00 IN= 8.756751132712746E+01 OM= 8.823398328862957E+01 W = 2.362008485774487E+02 Tp= 2459933.159988643602 N = 6.145146693579136E-06 MA= 2.097584442171727E-03 TA= 9.934289882287528E+01 A =-2.951987717806556E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460279.500000000 = A.D. 2023-Dec-01 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000602202005682E+00 QR= 1.797297396023871E+00 IN= 8.756781746767773E+01 OM= 8.823384556606551E+01 W = 2.362009402622377E+02 Tp= 2459933.158298685681 N = 6.044876782308100E-06 MA= 2.093592909019883E-03 TA= 9.984461322192261E+01 A =-2.984542361310105E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460284.500000000 = A.D. 2023-Dec-06 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000595506128498E+00 QR= 1.797309282666520E+00 IN= 8.756814223372113E+01 OM= 8.823370283716432E+01 W = 2.362010347578793E+02 Tp= 2459933.156548905186 N = 5.944279213034503E-06 MA= 2.088483572978571E-03 TA= 1.003360853313965E+02 A =-3.018120547641744E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460289.500000000 = A.D. 2023-Dec-11 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000588720916520E+00 QR= 1.797321498826559E+00 IN= 8.756848622581951E+01 OM= 8.823355513360210E+01 W = 2.362011303897909E+02 Tp= 2459933.154731439427 N = 5.842915682151350E-06 MA= 2.082095357933533E-03 TA= 1.008176421313788E+02 A =-3.052926180117024E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460294.500000000 = A.D. 2023-Dec-16 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000581813698778E+00 QR= 1.797334008036569E+00 IN= 8.756885216033173E+01 OM= 8.823340160677780E+01 W = 2.362012249958366E+02 Tp= 2459933.152837992646 N = 5.740329207246621E-06 MA= 2.074251668027326E-03 TA= 1.012895977513495E+02 A =-3.089191629232781E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460299.500000000 = A.D. 2023-Dec-21 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000574802468860E+00 QR= 1.797346794567475E+00 IN= 8.756924505869314E+01 OM= 8.823324052854197E+01 W = 2.362013187652099E+02 Tp= 2459933.150871624704 N = 5.636820287718589E-06 MA= 2.065044199215172E-03 TA= 1.017522512796207E+02 A =-3.126894701988541E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460304.500000000 = A.D. 2023-Dec-26 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000567793191998E+00 QR= 1.797359919755059E+00 IN= 8.756966834125724E+01 OM= 8.823307093586413E+01 W = 2.362014169789748E+02 Tp= 2459933.148855295498 N = 5.533969559357507E-06 MA= 2.055045930626664E-03 TA= 1.022058845796738E+02 A =-3.165518616789996E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460309.500000000 = A.D. 2023-Dec-31 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000560904240567E+00 QR= 1.797373496124218E+00 IN= 8.757011973002913E+01 OM= 8.823289417483187E+01 W = 2.362015266258861E+02 Tp= 2459933.146815004293 N = 5.433499844500302E-06 MA= 2.044914972151789E-03 TA= 1.026507662024670E+02 A =-3.204421300695586E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460314.500000000 = A.D. 2024-Jan-05 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000554175139912E+00 QR= 1.797387600738807E+00 IN= 8.757059386529005E+01 OM= 8.823271269807780E+01 W = 2.362016509511397E+02 Tp= 2459933.144758996554 N = 5.335953314828743E-06 MA= 2.034893762358729E-03 TA= 1.030871574314286E+02 A =-3.243356605681465E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460319.500000000 = A.D. 2024-Jan-10 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000547581485214E+00 QR= 1.797402255106386E+00 IN= 8.757108657063057E+01 OM= 8.823252836425202E+01 W = 2.362017895033784E+02 Tp= 2459933.142680916470 N = 5.240941156246242E-06 MA= 2.024875974600785E-03 TA= 1.035153128111631E+02 A =-3.282437963371864E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 2460324.500000000 = A.D. 2024-Jan-15 00:00:00.0000 TDB EC= 1.000541082939176E+00 QR= 1.797417454959828E+00 IN= 8.757159564631299E+01 OM= 8.823234219291676E+01 W = 2.362019406123667E+02 Tp= 2459933.140570574906 N = 5.147856146036004E-06 MA= 2.014662044075164E-03 TA= 1.039354781637918E+02 A =-3.321888983778595E+03 AD= 9.999999999999998E+99 PR= 9.999999999999998E+99 $$EOE ******************************************************************************* TIME Barycentric Dynamical Time ("TDB" or T_eph) output was requested. This continuous coordinate time is equivalent to the relativistic proper time of a clock at rest in a reference frame co-moving with the solar system barycenter but outside the system's gravity well. It is the independent variable in the solar system relativistic equations of motion. TDB runs at a uniform rate of one SI second per second and is independent of irregularities in Earth's rotation. CALENDAR SYSTEM Mixed calendar mode was active such that calendar dates after AD 1582-Oct-15 (if any) are in the modern Gregorian system. Dates prior to 1582-Oct-5 (if any) are in the Julian calendar system, which is automatically extended for dates prior to its adoption on 45-Jan-1 BC. The Julian calendar is useful for matching historical dates. The Gregorian calendar more accurately corresponds to the Earth's orbital motion and seasons. A "Gregorian-only" calendar mode is available if such physical events are the primary interest. REFERENCE FRAME AND COORDINATES Ecliptic at the standard reference epoch Reference epoch: J2000.0 X-Y plane: adopted Earth orbital plane at the reference epoch Note: IAU76 obliquity of 84381.448 arcseconds wrt ICRF X-Y plane X-axis : ICRF Z-axis : perpendicular to the X-Y plane in the directional (+ or -) sense of Earth's north pole at the reference epoch. Symbol meaning [1 au= 149597870.700 km, 1 day= 86400.0 s]: JDTDB Julian Day Number, Barycentric Dynamical Time EC Eccentricity, e QR Periapsis distance, q (au) IN Inclination w.r.t X-Y plane, i (degrees) OM Longitude of Ascending Node, OMEGA, (degrees) W Argument of Perifocus, w (degrees) Tp Time of periapsis (Julian Day Number) N Mean motion, n (degrees/day) MA Mean anomaly, M (degrees) TA True anomaly, nu (degrees) A Semi-major axis, a (au) AD Apoapsis distance (au) PR Sidereal orbit period (day) ABERRATIONS AND CORRECTIONS Geometric osculating elements have NO corrections or aberrations applied. Computations by ... Solar System Dynamics Group, Horizons On-Line Ephemeris System 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Pasadena, CA 91109 USA General site: https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/ Mailing list: https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/email_list.html System news : https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons/news.html User Guide : https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons/manual.html Connect : browser https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons/app.html#/x API https://ssd-api.jpl.nasa.gov/doc/horizons.html command-line telnet ssd.jpl.nasa.gov 6775 e-mail/batch https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/ftp/ssd/horizons_batch.txt scripts https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/ftp/ssd/SCRIPTS Author : Jon.D.Giorgini@jpl.nasa.gov ******************************************************************************* !$$SOF COMMAND = '2017 K2' TABLE_TYPE = 'ELEMENTS' START_TIME = '2023-11-01' STOP_TIME = '2024-01-15' STEP_SIZE = '5 day' CENTER = '@sun' OUT_UNITS = 'AU-D' utm_source = badastronomy.beehiiv.com utm_medium = referral utm_campaign = i-m-leaving-substack-an-incredible-photo-of-a-comet-and-the-horsehead