237P/LINEAR
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	14 May 2023	12.5	1.988 AU	1.329 AU	19h50m	-11°56'	115.7°	27.3°	255°
Nearest approach	8 Jul 2023	12.3	2.036 AU	1.065 AU	19h49m	-00°31'	156.1°	11.7°	203°
Today	9 May 2024	21.0	3.205 AU	4.079 AU	01h16m	+17°06'	26.3°	8.0°	265°

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 237P/LINEAR are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.4338700
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.9878030
            i (Inclination)                 : 14.01710
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 245.35410
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 25.31760
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 270.00862
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 5.94526
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460079.26160
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 6.58

            Epoch                           : 2024 May 08
            Reference                       : MPEC 2024-DC6

            Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
            Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.918
        

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 (14.50 + 5 log[∆] + 5.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 3.19 + 5 log[∆] + 29.17 log[r]).

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
2024-05-09 00:00 UT   01 15 36.4   +17 02 20     4.080    3.202   25.9    7.9   265   21.0 
2024-05-09 15:18 UT   01 16 26.3   +17 06 59     4.079    3.205   26.3    8.0   265   21.0 
2024-05-10 00:00 UT   01 16 54.6   +17 09 38     4.078    3.207   26.5    8.1   265   21.0 
2024-05-11 00:00 UT   01 18 12.6   +17 16 54     4.077    3.211   27.1    8.2   264   21.0 
2024-05-12 00:00 UT   01 19 30.3   +17 24 07     4.075    3.215   27.7    8.4   264   21.0 
2024-05-13 00:00 UT   01 20 47.6   +17 31 19     4.073    3.220   28.3    8.6   264   21.0 
2024-05-14 00:00 UT   01 22 04.7   +17 38 28     4.071    3.224   28.9    8.7   263   21.1 
2024-05-15 00:00 UT   01 23 21.5   +17 45 35     4.069    3.228   29.5    8.9   263   21.1 
2024-05-16 00:00 UT   01 24 38.0   +17 52 40     4.067    3.232   30.1    9.0   263   21.1 
2024-05-17 00:00 UT   01 25 54.1   +17 59 42     4.064    3.237   30.7    9.2   262   21.1 
2024-05-18 00:00 UT   01 27 10.0   +18 06 42     4.061    3.241   31.4    9.3   262   21.1 
2024-05-19 00:00 UT   01 28 25.5   +18 13 39     4.059    3.245   32.0    9.5   262   21.1 

    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.