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°	60.3°	308°
Nearest approach	1 Feb 2023	5.1	1.164 AU	0.285 AU	06h38m	+70°33'	122.7°	45.4°	140°
Today	3 Jun 2026	23.4	11.675 AU	11.735 AU	02h17m	-55°39'	84.1°	5.0°	214°

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)                : 1.0000440
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.1170370
    i (Inclination)                 : 109.18160
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 302.48650
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 145.87530
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 315.03925
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 31.99535
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459956.79220

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jun 03
    Reference                       : MPC194179

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-06-02 00:00 UT   02 16 25.1   -55 35 11    11.737   11.663   83.3    5.0   213   23.4 
2026-06-03 00:00 UT   02 16 47.2   -55 37 36    11.736   11.670   83.8    5.0   214   23.4 
2026-06-03 17:34 UT   02 17 03.3   -55 39 25    11.735   11.675   84.1    5.0   214   23.4 
2026-06-04 00:00 UT   02 17 09.1   -55 40 05    11.735   11.677   84.2    5.0   214   23.4 
2026-06-05 00:00 UT   02 17 30.7   -55 42 38    11.734   11.684   84.7    5.0   215   23.4 
2026-06-06 00:00 UT   02 17 52.0   -55 45 14    11.733   11.691   85.1    5.0   216   23.4 
2026-06-07 00:00 UT   02 18 13.1   -55 47 55    11.731   11.697   85.6    5.0   217   23.4 
2026-06-08 00:00 UT   02 18 33.8   -55 50 39    11.730   11.704   86.0    5.0   217   23.4 
2026-06-09 00:00 UT   02 18 54.2   -55 53 28    11.729   11.711   86.5    5.0   218   23.4 
2026-06-10 00:00 UT   02 19 14.3   -55 56 20    11.728   11.718   86.9    5.0   219   23.4 
2026-06-11 00:00 UT   02 19 34.1   -55 59 15    11.727   11.724   87.4    5.0   220   23.4 
2026-06-12 00:00 UT   02 19 53.5   -56 02 15    11.726   11.731   87.8    5.0   221   23.4 
2026-06-13 00:00 UT   02 20 12.7   -56 05 18    11.724   11.738   88.2    5.0   221   23.4 

    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.