C/2020 X3 (SOHO) |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Perihelion | 14 Dec 2020 | -5.1 | 0.005 AU | 0.988 AU | 17h30m | -23°07' | 0.2° | 51.1° | 55° |
Nearest approach | 6 Jan 2021 | 16.1 | 0.873 AU | 0.551 AU | 17h14m | -83°40' | 62.0° | 84.1° | 210° |
Today | 19 Apr 2024 | 34.5 | 12.570 AU | 12.815 AU | 06h34m | -10°46' | 73.7° | 4.4° | 105° |
C/2020 X3 (SOHO)- 2024-04-19
astro.vanbuitenen.nl
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 C/2020 X3 (SOHO) are:
e (Eccentricity) : 1.0000000
q (Perihelion distance) : 0.0050117
i (Inclination) : 143.93683
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 357.16186
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 77.35832
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 282.66910
B (Latitude of perihelion) : 35.05805
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2459198.44587
Epoch : 2020 Dec 17
Reference : MPEC 2020-Y19
Classification(s): : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU); Sungrazer; Kreutz
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 gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (15.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 17.96 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 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
2024-04-19 00:00 UT 06 34 12.8 -10 48 32 12.796 12.563 74.4 4.4 105 34.5
2024-04-19 21:43 UT 06 34 19.1 -10 46 28 12.815 12.570 73.7 4.4 105 34.5
2024-04-20 00:00 UT 06 34 19.8 -10 46 15 12.817 12.570 73.6 4.4 106 34.5
2024-04-21 00:00 UT 06 34 27.1 -10 43 60 12.837 12.577 72.8 4.4 106 34.5
2024-04-22 00:00 UT 06 34 34.7 -10 41 46 12.857 12.584 72.0 4.4 107 34.5
2024-04-23 00:00 UT 06 34 42.6 -10 39 34 12.877 12.591 71.3 4.3 107 34.5
2024-04-24 00:00 UT 06 34 50.7 -10 37 24 12.897 12.598 70.5 4.3 108 34.5
2024-04-25 00:00 UT 06 34 59.0 -10 35 15 12.917 12.605 69.7 4.3 108 34.5
2024-04-26 00:00 UT 06 35 07.6 -10 33 09 12.937 12.611 69.0 4.3 109 34.5
2024-04-27 00:00 UT 06 35 16.5 -10 31 04 12.957 12.618 68.2 4.2 110 34.5
2024-04-28 00:00 UT 06 35 25.6 -10 29 00 12.976 12.625 67.5 4.2 110 34.5
2024-04-29 00:00 UT 06 35 34.9 -10 26 59 12.996 12.632 66.7 4.2 111 34.5
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.