C/2022 B4
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	30 Jan 2022	20.6	1.376 AU	0.440 AU	10h43m	+39°39'	147.3°	22.7°	236°
Nearest approach	13 Feb 2022	20.5	1.390 AU	0.419 AU	10h37m	+27°43'	161.4°	13.1°	223°
Today	4 Nov 2026	38.5	14.594 AU	15.114 AU	18h31m	-40°20'	56.7°	3.3°	98°

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. (21.0 + 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/2022 B4 are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9967950
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.3764260
    i (Inclination)                 : 20.06750
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 340.45070
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 153.10640
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 314.97773
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 8.92888
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459610.29880
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 8899.94

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194178

    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
2026-11-03 00:00 UT   18 31 00.4   -40 21 39    15.094   14.588   57.7    3.3    98   38.5 
2026-11-04 00:00 UT   18 31 14.8   -40 20 30    15.113   14.594   56.8    3.3    98   38.5 
2026-11-04 01:28 UT   18 31 15.7   -40 20 26    15.114   14.594   56.7    3.3    98   38.5 
2026-11-05 00:00 UT   18 31 29.4   -40 19 21    15.132   14.600   55.9    3.2    99   38.5 
2026-11-06 00:00 UT   18 31 44.3   -40 18 13    15.152   14.606   55.0    3.2    99   38.5 
2026-11-07 00:00 UT   18 31 59.4   -40 17 06    15.170   14.612   54.1    3.1   100   38.6 
2026-11-08 00:00 UT   18 32 14.8   -40 15 59    15.189   14.618   53.2    3.1   100   38.6 
2026-11-09 00:00 UT   18 32 30.4   -40 14 53    15.208   14.624   52.3    3.1   100   38.6 
2026-11-10 00:00 UT   18 32 46.2   -40 13 47    15.226   14.630   51.4    3.0   101   38.6 
2026-11-11 00:00 UT   18 33 02.2   -40 12 42    15.245   14.636   50.5    3.0   101   38.6 
2026-11-12 00:00 UT   18 33 18.5   -40 11 37    15.263   14.642   49.7    3.0   102   38.6 
2026-11-13 00:00 UT   18 33 35.0   -40 10 34    15.280   14.648   48.8    2.9   102   38.6 
2026-11-14 00:00 UT   18 33 51.7   -40 09 30    15.298   14.654   47.9    2.9   102   38.6 

    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.