C/2022 E3 (ZTF) | astro.vanbuitenen.nl (2024)

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/2022 E3 (ZTF) are:

 e (Eccentricity) : 1.0000730 q (Perihelion distance) : 1.1124510 i (Inclination) : 109.16840 Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 302.54900 ω (Argument of perihelion) : 145.80970 L (Longitude of perihelion) : 315.12367 B (Latitude of perihelion) : 32.05870 T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2459957.22140 Epoch : 2024 Apr 23 Reference : MPEC 2024-GJ3 Classification(s): : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU) 

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 (7.50 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 7.22 + 5 log[∆] + 10.06 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 magn2024-04-24 00:00 UT 03 27 40.8 -46 28 32 6.122 5.720 62.0 8.9 158 18.8 2024-04-24 13:00 UT 03 28 01.8 -46 27 19 6.126 5.725 62.1 8.9 158 18.8 2024-04-25 00:00 UT 03 28 19.7 -46 26 19 6.130 5.729 62.1 8.9 159 18.8 2024-04-26 00:00 UT 03 28 58.9 -46 24 15 6.137 5.738 62.2 8.9 159 18.8 2024-04-27 00:00 UT 03 29 38.2 -46 22 17 6.145 5.747 62.3 8.9 160 18.8 2024-04-28 00:00 UT 03 30 17.6 -46 20 27 6.153 5.756 62.4 8.9 161 18.8 2024-04-29 00:00 UT 03 30 57.2 -46 18 45 6.160 5.765 62.5 8.9 162 18.8 2024-04-30 00:00 UT 03 31 36.8 -46 17 10 6.168 5.774 62.6 8.9 163 18.8 2024-05-01 00:00 UT 03 32 16.6 -46 15 43 6.175 5.784 62.7 8.9 164 18.8 2024-05-02 00:00 UT 03 32 56.5 -46 14 23 6.182 5.793 62.9 8.9 165 18.9 2024-05-03 00:00 UT 03 33 36.5 -46 13 11 6.189 5.802 63.0 8.9 166 18.9 2024-05-04 00:00 UT 03 34 16.6 -46 12 07 6.196 5.811 63.1 8.9 167 18.9 

 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.