342P/SOHO
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	20 Aug 2021	21.5	1.535 AU	0.828 AU	17h16m	-38°47'	112.8°	37.4°	88°
Perihelion	19 Oct 2021	7.0	0.052 AU	0.983 AU	13h25m	-08°41'	2.9°	103.1°	297°
Today	19 Apr 2024	31.0	5.539 AU	5.246 AU	19h19m	-27°19'	101.7°	10.2°	263°

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 342P/SOHO are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9829160
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.0519560
            i (Inclination)                 : 11.69320
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 73.31810
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 27.63720
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 100.46448
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 5.39453
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459506.90750
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 5.30

            Epoch                           : 2024 Apr 18
            Reference                       : MPC101101

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

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 estimated based on previous apparitions. (20.00 + 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   19 19 13.7   -27 18 53     5.251    5.538  101.5   10.2   263   31.0 
2024-04-19 06:48 UT   19 19 11.4   -27 19 14     5.246    5.539  101.7   10.2   263   31.0 
2024-04-20 00:00 UT   19 19 05.2   -27 20 10     5.235    5.539  102.5   10.2   263   31.0 
2024-04-21 00:00 UT   19 18 55.7   -27 21 28     5.219    5.540  103.5   10.2   263   31.0 
2024-04-22 00:00 UT   19 18 45.3   -27 22 49     5.204    5.541  104.5   10.1   264   31.0 
2024-04-23 00:00 UT   19 18 34.1   -27 24 11     5.188    5.542  105.5   10.1   264   31.0 
2024-04-24 00:00 UT   19 18 21.9   -27 25 35     5.173    5.544  106.5   10.0   264   31.0 
2024-04-25 00:00 UT   19 18 08.8   -27 27 00     5.158    5.545  107.5   10.0   264   31.0 
2024-04-26 00:00 UT   19 17 54.8   -27 28 27     5.143    5.546  108.6    9.9   264   31.0 
2024-04-27 00:00 UT   19 17 39.9   -27 29 56     5.127    5.547  109.6    9.8   264   31.0 
2024-04-28 00:00 UT   19 17 24.1   -27 31 26     5.112    5.548  110.6    9.8   264   31.0 
2024-04-29 00:00 UT   19 17 07.3   -27 32 57     5.098    5.549  111.6    9.7   265   31.0 

    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.