P/2010 H3 (SOHO)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	20 Apr 2024	27.2	5.352 AU	5.180 AU	20h00m	-32°20'	94.4°	10.8°	259°
Perihelion	25 May 2026	13.3	0.044 AU	1.048 AU	04h12m	+21°31'	1.5°	36.5°	64°
Nearest approach	21 Jun 2026	16.0	0.920 AU	0.194 AU	09h41m	+08°24'	55.3°	114.8°	113°

The interactive orbit chart above shows the comet's path through the solar system and its position at the given date. Green and blue lines are shown perpendicular to the ecliptic plane: Green if the path is above the ecliptic plane, blue if it is below. (Left-click and drag to rotate the view; Right-click and drag to move the view; Use scroll wheel to zoom in our out.)

The orbital elements of P/2010 H3 (SOHO) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9855170
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.0439710
            i (Inclination)                 : 23.14700
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 77.18180
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 26.06290
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 101.39620
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 9.94529
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2461185.64480
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 5.29

            Epoch                           : 2024 Apr 19
            Reference                       : MPC 70361

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); Halley type (P < 200 years); Sunskirter; Marsden
        

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC. The light curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from an MPEC, or the latest values provided by the minor planet center. (20.00 + 5 log[∆] + 5.00 log[r]). The additional green curve shows the effect of forward scattering, occurring when the comet is between the earth and the sun, for a gas-to-dust light ratio δ90 of 0.30. (See Marcus 2007)

The all-sky chart below shows the path of the comet over the same period as the light curve. The comet's current position is marked yellow.

The following chart shows the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.

The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.

A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Ephemerides:

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2024-04-20 00:00 UT   20 00 49.2   -32 19 57     5.183    5.353   94.3   10.8   259   27.2 
2024-04-20 04:06 UT   20 00 49.3   -32 20 21     5.180    5.352   94.4   10.8   259   27.2 
2024-04-21 00:00 UT   20 00 49.9   -32 22 20     5.165    5.351   95.2   10.8   259   27.2 
2024-04-22 00:00 UT   20 00 49.7   -32 24 46     5.147    5.350   96.2   10.8   259   27.2 
2024-04-23 00:00 UT   20 00 48.6   -32 27 15     5.129    5.348   97.2   10.8   260   27.2 
2024-04-24 00:00 UT   20 00 46.6   -32 29 48     5.111    5.347   98.1   10.7   260   27.2 
2024-04-25 00:00 UT   20 00 43.7   -32 32 24     5.093    5.345   99.1   10.7   260   27.2 
2024-04-26 00:00 UT   20 00 39.9   -32 35 02     5.075    5.343  100.1   10.7   260   27.2 
2024-04-27 00:00 UT   20 00 35.1   -32 37 44     5.057    5.342  101.0   10.7   261   27.2 
2024-04-28 00:00 UT   20 00 29.4   -32 40 29     5.039    5.340  102.0   10.6   261   27.1 
2024-04-29 00:00 UT   20 00 22.7   -32 43 17     5.021    5.339  103.0   10.6   261   27.1 
2024-04-30 00:00 UT   20 00 15.0   -32 46 08     5.004    5.337  104.0   10.6   261   27.1 

    Terminology:
            
    delta:  distance between comet and earth in AU
    radius: distance between comet and sun in AU
    magn:   magnitude (brightness) estimate    
    ra:     right ascension in hours (24h = 360deg)
    dec:    declination in degrees
    elong:  elongation in degrees (angle sun-earth-comet)    
    phase:  phase angle in degrees (angle sun-comet-earth)        
    AU:     Astronomical Unit (mean distance between earth and sun: 149597870.7 km      
    

Orbital elements usually provided by the MPC (Minor Planet Center).
Observations contributed by observers worldwide, via COBS (Comet Observation Database) or the MPC (Minor Planet Center)
Calculations by a modified version of AAPlus, a C# implementation of the AA+ project by PJ Naughter from the algorithms presented in the book "Astronomical Algorithms" by Jean Meeus.
NGC2000 dso catalog and star labels from VizieR as provided by the Strasbourg astronomical Data Center.
Tycho2 catalog from the ESO archive.