C/2021 U5 (Catalina)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	27 Jan 2022	17.8	2.360 AU	1.622 AU	10h19m	-27°12'	128.1°	19.2°	329°
Nearest approach	3 Mar 2022	17.6	2.393 AU	1.461 AU	10h15m	-16°58'	154.2°	10.4°	24°
Today	29 Aug 2026	29.9	13.437 AU	13.071 AU	18h03m	+16°51'	109.1°	4.1°	107°

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.)

Light curve

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations from COBS. The light curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from an MPEC, or the latest values provided by the minor planet center. (13.0 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 log[r]). An additional green curve is displayed when an increase in apparent brightness is expected due to forward scattering of sunlight, which occurs when a dust-rich comet is located between the Earth and the Sun. (See Marcus 2007)

Charts

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.

Orbital elements

The orbital elements of C/2021 U5 (Catalina) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9896440
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.3597390
    i (Inclination)                 : 39.03940
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 182.61560
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 321.53100
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 150.93522
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -23.06823
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459606.78800
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 3439.60

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194177

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-08-28 00:00 UT   18 03 15.4   +16 54 54    13.050   13.430  110.0    4.1   108   29.9 
2026-08-29 00:00 UT   18 03 11.0   +16 52 15    13.068   13.436  109.3    4.1   107   29.9 
2026-08-29 05:06 UT   18 03 10.0   +16 51 41    13.071   13.437  109.1    4.1   107   29.9 
2026-08-30 00:00 UT   18 03 06.8   +16 49 35    13.085   13.442  108.6    4.1   106   29.9 
2026-08-31 00:00 UT   18 03 02.9   +16 46 55    13.103   13.448  107.9    4.1   105   29.9 
2026-09-01 00:00 UT   18 02 59.3   +16 44 14    13.121   13.454  107.2    4.1   105   29.9 
2026-09-02 00:00 UT   18 02 56.1   +16 41 32    13.139   13.459  106.4    4.1   104   29.9 
2026-09-03 00:00 UT   18 02 53.1   +16 38 50    13.156   13.465  105.7    4.1   103   29.9 
2026-09-04 00:00 UT   18 02 50.4   +16 36 07    13.174   13.471  105.0    4.1   103   29.9 
2026-09-05 00:00 UT   18 02 48.1   +16 33 23    13.193   13.477  104.3    4.2   102   29.9 
2026-09-06 00:00 UT   18 02 46.0   +16 30 39    13.211   13.483  103.6    4.2   101   29.9 
2026-09-07 00:00 UT   18 02 44.3   +16 27 55    13.229   13.489  102.8    4.2   101   29.9 
2026-09-08 00:00 UT   18 02 42.9   +16 25 10    13.247   13.495  102.1    4.2   100   29.9 

    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.