Comet 242P/Spahr
Comet 242P/Spahr is in the constellation of Orion, at a distance of
Finder Charts
The sky charts below show, at different resolutions, the position of comet 242P/Spahr in the sky. Click on each chart to access the interactive star map tool.
The following map uses photographic imagery from the Digitized Sky Survey (DSS) to realistically visualize the precise position of comet 242P/Spahr against the stars in the background. The horizontal size of the map measures 60 arcminutes. Click on the image to access a more detailed full-screen view.
Equatorial Coordinates
Apparent
J2000
Additional Information
The observed values of Magnitude, Coma Diameter and Tail Length are derived from the most recent observation recorded at the Comet Observers Database. The value of Predicted Magnitude comes from the JPL Horizons ephemerides service and, in the case of comets, might be inaccurate given the highly dynamic and unpredictable behavior of these objects. When available, please refer to the Observed Magnitude value and consider the Predicted Magnitude as a directional indication. We acknowledge with thanks the comet observations from the COBS Comet Observation Database contributed by observers worldwide and used in this table to report recent comet observations.
Rise and Set Times
The following table lists today's rise, transit and set times of comet 242P/Spahr from Biancheng, China (all times relative to the local timezone Asia/Shanghai):
If you need to access this information frequently for your observations, you can create a simple customized Quick Access page, so that you can easily bookmark it in your browser favorites or add a shortcut to your mobile phones' home screen.
Distance from Earth
The distance of comet 242P/Spahr from Earth is currently
The following graph shows the distance of comet 242P/Spahr from Earth as a function of time. In the chart the distance is measured in Astronomical Units and the data is sampled with an interval of 1 day.
Note: The values in this chart may not be entirely accurate around the time of closest approach for objects passing very close to Earth at high speed (e.g., Near-Earth Objects).
The value of the distance of 242P/Spahr from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the live position tracker.
Closest Approach to Earth
In the period between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2099, the closest approach of comet 242P/Spahr to Earth will happen on Friday 17 October 2036 at a distance of 3.065836 Astronomical Units, or 458,642,481 kilometers:
Note: the values for the closest approach are computed with a sampling interval of 1 day.
Light Curve
The following chart shows the light curve of comet 242P/Spahr, i.e., its apparent magnitude as a function of time. The curve is calculated using the latest ephemerides provided by JPL Horizons. The magnitude data is sampled with the interval of 2 days. Because of this sampling, inaccuracies may occur for objects that have large variations of brightness over a few days. For comets, large discrepancies can arise between the calculated brightness and the observations due to their highly dynamic, and not always precisely predictable, behavior.
Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of comet 242P/Spahr at epoch September, 30 2010 00:00 UTC (JD: 2455470.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 0.31060857 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 32.70387937° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 3.91921318 AU 586,305,948 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q |
7.45085331 AU 1,114,631,792 km |
| Semi-major axis | a |
5.68503324 AU 850,468,870 km |
| Orbital period | period |
13.5553 years 4,951.0572 days |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | March 31, 2012 2,456,018.2130 JD |
| Next perihelion transit | October 20, 2025 2,460,969.2702 JD |
|
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 248.52949968913° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 181.02804796066° |
| Mean anomaly | M | 320.17483230633° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.07271174°/day |
Orbit Visualization
The following chart is a 3D animated visualization of the orbit of comet 242P/Spahr relative to the other major objects in the Solar System. You can access more advanced features using our 3D Solar System Viewer.
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of comet 242P/Spahr computed for the past and next 7 days, with a 24 hours interval. Apparent celestial coordinates are provided.
| Date | Right AscensionR.A. | DeclinationDec. | MagnitudeMag | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 27 2025 | 06h 08m 47s | -02° 41’ 17” | 19.05 | Orion |
| Jun 28 2025 | 06h 10m 01s | -02° 41’ 53” | 19.05 | Orion |
| Jun 29 2025 | 06h 11m 14s | -02° 42’ 33” | 19.05 | Orion |
| Jun 30 2025 | 06h 12m 28s | -02° 43’ 19” | 19.05 | Orion |
| Jul 01 2025 | 06h 13m 41s | -02° 44’ 10” | 19.05 | Orion |
| Jul 02 2025 | 06h 14m 55s | -02° 45’ 04” | 19.05 | Orion |
| Jul 03 2025 | 06h 16m 08s | -02° 46’ 05” | 19.05 | Orion |
| Jul 04 2025 | 06h 17m 21s | -02° 47’ 10” | 19.05 | Orion |
| Jul 05 2025 | 06h 18m 34s | -02° 48’ 20” | 19.06 | Orion |
| Jul 06 2025 | 06h 19m 47s | -02° 49’ 34” | 19.06 | Orion |
| Jul 07 2025 | 06h 20m 59s | -02° 50’ 53” | 19.06 | Orion |
| Jul 08 2025 | 06h 22m 12s | -02° 52’ 18” | 19.06 | Monoceros |
| Jul 09 2025 | 06h 23m 25s | -02° 53’ 46” | 19.06 | Monoceros |
| Jul 10 2025 | 06h 24m 37s | -02° 55’ 20” | 19.06 | Monoceros |
Additional Resources on TheSkyLive
- Comet 242P/Spahr: Complete reference information on TheSkyLive.com.
- Where is comet 242P/Spahr?: Key information on where to find comet 242P/Spahr in the sky.
- Distance of comet 242P/Spahr from Earth: Find out how far comet 242P/Spahr is from Earth right now.
- How Bright is comet 242P/Spahr?: Current visual brightness (magnitude) and apparent size.
- Rise and Set Times: Rise and set times of comet 242P/Spahr from your location.
- Interactive Sky Map: Planetarium-style interactive visualization of comet 242P/Spahr's position in the sky.
- Live Position Tracker: High precision real time tracker of comet 242P/Spahr's position using deep space imagery.
- Ephemeris: 15 days comet 242P/Spahr's computed ephemeris.
- Orbital elements: Information about comet 242P/Spahr orbital parameters.
- Orbit Visualization: 3D interactive visualization showing the orbit of comet 242P/Spahr with respect to the major Solar System objects.