C/2022 E3 (ZTF)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	12 Jan 2023	6.9	1.117 AU	0.712 AU	15h44m	+38°42'	80.7°	60.4°	308°
Nearest approach	1 Feb 2023	5.1	1.164 AU	0.285 AU	06h37m	+70°36'	122.6°	45.5°	139°
Today	27 Apr 2026	23.3	11.422 AU	11.747 AU	02h01m	-54°54'	68.8°	4.7°	184°

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. This lightcurve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 7.2 + 5 log[∆] + 10.2 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 E3 (ZTF) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0000350
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.1166620
    i (Inclination)                 : 109.18160
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 302.48650
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 145.86820
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 315.04249
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 32.00190
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459956.81560

    Epoch                           : 2026 Apr 26
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-04-26 00:00 UT   02 00 27.4   -54 55 05    11.745   11.412   68.3    4.7   183   23.3 
2026-04-27 00:00 UT   02 00 55.4   -54 54 52    11.746   11.418   68.6    4.7   184   23.3 
2026-04-27 13:50 UT   02 01 11.5   -54 54 47    11.747   11.422   68.8    4.7   184   23.3 
2026-04-28 00:00 UT   02 01 23.4   -54 54 44    11.747   11.425   69.0    4.7   185   23.3 
2026-04-29 00:00 UT   02 01 51.3   -54 54 40    11.748   11.432   69.4    4.7   186   23.3 
2026-04-30 00:00 UT   02 02 19.1   -54 54 40    11.749   11.439   69.7    4.7   187   23.3 
2026-05-01 00:00 UT   02 02 46.9   -54 54 45    11.749   11.446   70.1    4.7   187   23.3 
2026-05-02 00:00 UT   02 03 14.7   -54 54 54    11.750   11.453   70.4    4.8   188   23.3 
2026-05-03 00:00 UT   02 03 42.3   -54 55 07    11.750   11.459   70.8    4.8   189   23.3 
2026-05-04 00:00 UT   02 04 09.9   -54 55 24    11.751   11.466   71.2    4.8   190   23.3 
2026-05-05 00:00 UT   02 04 37.3   -54 55 46    11.751   11.473   71.6    4.8   191   23.3 
2026-05-06 00:00 UT   02 05 04.7   -54 56 13    11.752   11.480   72.0    4.8   191   23.3 
2026-05-07 00:00 UT   02 05 32.0   -54 56 44    11.752   11.487   72.4    4.8   192   23.3 

    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.