Comet Jacques (C/2014 E2), a newly discovered comet has now brightened to within small telescope range and should reach naked-eye brightness by the end of July. Based on the current light-curve, Jacques is predicted to peak at magnitude +4 and become a fine sight in the morning sky when seen from the Northern Hemisphere later this year.
When discovered on March 13, 2014 by Cristovao Jacques, Eduardo Pimentel and Joao Ribeiro de Barros, the comet was a feeble magnitude +14.7. It's currently heading towards perihelion on July 2nd when it will pass 0.66 AU (99 million kilometres or 61 million miles) from the Sun. Closest approach to Earth occurs on August 28th when Jacques passes 0.56 AU (84 million kilometres or 52 million miles) from our planet.
Location and star chart
Jacques is currently moving in a northwestern direction just east of beautiful Orion. The comet spends almost all of May weaving slowly through the faint constellation of Monoceros except on the 12th when it briefly cuts into neighbouring Canis Minor. It's predicted that Jacques will increase from magnitude +8.4 on May 1st to magnitude +6.9 by months end. This puts the comet within the range of small telescopes and large binoculars, although too faint to be seen with the naked eye.
For Northern Hemisphere observers, Jacques appears low down above the western horizon after sunset during the first half of the month. The comet is then quickly lost to the bright glare of the Sun before re-appearing in the morning sky at the end of July; hopefully bright enough to be visible to the naked eye.
From southern and equatorial latitudes, Jacques is well placed in the early evening sky during May. The comet is visible reasonable high up towards the west after sunset. It then passes perihelion on July 2nd after which it won't be visible from the Southern Hemisphere until early September.
The finder chart below shows the positions of Jacques from May 7, 2014 to June 3, 2014.
Comet Jacques (C/2014 E2) Finder Chart from May 7, 2014 to June 3, 2014 - pdf format
C/2014 E2 (Jacques) Data (at epoch May 23, 2014)
| Name | C/2014 E2 (Jacques) |
|---|---|
| Type | Comet |
| Discoverer | Cristovao Jacques, Eduardo Pimentel and Joao Ribeiro de Barros |
| Discovery date | March 13, 2014 |
| Aphelion (AU) | 1445.3 |
| Perihelion (AU) | 0.66384 |
| Semi-major axis | 722.98 |
| Eccentricity | 0.9991 |
| Orbital period (years) | 19440 |
| Inclination (degrees) | 156.39 |
| Longitude of ascending node (degrees) | 56.389 |
| Perihelion | July 2, 2014 |
| Notes | Magnitude +14.7 at discovery |
Comet (C/2014 E2) Jacques Data Table
| Date | Right Ascension | Declination | Mag. | Distance from Earth (AU) | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 May 2014 | 07h 32m 24s | -04d 42m 45s | 8.4 | 1.191 | Monoceros |
| 02 May 2014 | 07h 29m 44s | -04d 02m 24s | 8.3 | 1.206 | Monoceros |
| 03 May 2014 | 07h 27m 11s | -03d 23m 08s | 8.3 | 1.220 | Monoceros |
| 04 May 2014 | 07h 24m 44s | -02d 44m 55s | 8.3 | 1.235 | Monoceros |
| 05 May 2014 | 07h 22m 21s | -02d 07m 45s | 8.2 | 1.250 | Monoceros |
| 06 May 2014 | 07h 20m 04s | -01d 31m 34s | 8.2 | 1.266 | Monoceros |
| 07 May 2014 | 07h 17m 52s | -00d 56m 22s | 8.2 | 1.281 | Monoceros |
| 08 May 2014 | 07h 15m 44s | -00d 22m 05s | 8.1 | 1.296 | Monoceros |
| 09 May 2014 | 07h 13m 40s | 00d 11m 18s | 8.1 | 1.311 | Monoceros |
| 10 May 2014 | 07h 11m 40s | 00d 43m 48s | 8.0 | 1.326 | Monoceros |
| 11 May 2014 | 07h 09m 45s | 01d 15m 28s | 8.0 | 1.341 | Monoceros |
| 12 May 2014 | 07h 07m 52s | 01d 46m 21s | 7.9 | 1.356 | Canis Minor |
| 13 May 2014 | 07h 06m 03s | 02d 16m 27s | 7.9 | 1.371 | Monoceros |
| 14 May 2014 | 07h 04m 18s | 02d 45m 49s | 7.9 | 1.386 | Monoceros |
| 15 May 2014 | 07h 02m 35s | 03d 14m 29s | 7.8 | 1.400 | Monoceros |
| 16 May 2014 | 07h 00m 55s | 03d 42m 29s | 7.8 | 1.415 | Monoceros |
| 17 May 2014 | 06h 59m 17s | 04d 09m 50s | 7.7 | 1.429 | Monoceros |
| 18 May 2014 | 06h 57m 42s | 04d 36m 35s | 7.7 | 1.443 | Monoceros |
| 19 May 2014 | 06h 56m 10s | 05d 02m 46s | 7.6 | 1.457 | Monoceros |
| 20 May 2014 | 06h 54m 39s | 05d 28m 23s | 7.5 | 1.471 | Monoceros |
| 21 May 2014 | 06h 53m 10s | 05d 53m 29s | 7.5 | 1.484 | Monoceros |
| 22 May 2014 | 06h 51m 43s | 06d 18m 05s | 7.4 | 1.497 | Monoceros |
| 23 May 2014 | 06h 50m 18s | 06d 42m 14s | 7.4 | 1.510 | Monoceros |
| 24 May 2014 | 06h 48m 54s | 07d 05m 56s | 7.3 | 1.523 | Monoceros |
| 25 May 2014 | 06h 47m 32s | 07d 29m 13s | 7.3 | 1.536 | Monoceros |
| 26 May 2014 | 06h 46m 10s | 07d 52m 07s | 7.2 | 1.548 | Monoceros |
| 27 May 2014 | 06h 44m 50s | 08d 14m 38s | 7.1 | 1.559 | Monoceros |
| 28 May 2014 | 06h 43m 31s | 08d 36m 50s | 7.1 | 1.571 | Monoceros |
| 29 May 2014 | 06h 42m 12s | 08d 58m 42s | 7.0 | 1.582 | Monoceros |
| 30 May 2014 | 06h 40m 55s | 09d 20m 17s | 6.9 | 1.593 | Monoceros |
| 31 May 2014 | 06h 39m 38s | 09d 41m 36s | 6.9 | 1.603 | Monoceros |
| 01 Jun 2014 | 06h 38m 21s | 10d 02m 40s | 6.8 | 1.613 | Monoceros |
| 02 Jun 2014 | 06h 37m 05s | 10d 23m 30s | 6.7 | 1.622 | Monoceros |
| 03 Jun 2014 | 06h 35m 49s | 10d 44m 08s | 6.7 | 1.631 | Monoceros |
| 04 Jun 2014 | 06h 34m 33s | 11d 04m 35s | 6.6 | 1.640 | Monoceros |
| 05 Jun 2014 | 06h 33m 17s | 11d 24m 53s | 6.5 | 1.648 | Monoceros |
| 06 Jun 2014 | 06h 32m 01s | 11d 45m 02s | 6.4 | 1.656 | Monoceros |
| 07 Jun 2014 | 06h 30m 46s | 12d 05m 03s | 6.4 | 1.663 | Gemini |
See also
Comet Jacques (C/2014 E2) visible with binoculars and small scopes
Comet Jacques (C/2014 E2) moves north, remains visible with binoculars
Comet Jacques (C/2014 E2) passes north of the "W" of Cassiopeia
Comet Jacques (C/2014 E2) remains within binocular range
Comet Jacques (C/2014 E2) high in the sky during September