C/2022 E3 (ZTF)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	12 Jan 2023	7.0	1.115 AU	0.710 AU	15h45m	+38°44'	80.6°	60.5°	308°
Nearest approach	1 Feb 2023	5.2	1.162 AU	0.284 AU	06h34m	+70°51'	122.2°	45.9°	138°
Today	16 Oct 2025	22.1	10.067 AU	9.755 AU	02h29m	-64°33'	105.4°	5.5°	344°

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[∆] + 9.9 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)                : 1.0000010
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.1149990
    i (Inclination)                 : 109.17850
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 302.49650
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 145.83950
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 315.06372
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 32.02903
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459956.94150

    Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 15
    Reference                       : MPC186629

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-10-16 00:00 UT   02 30 13.3   -64 32 25     9.747   10.062  105.6    5.5   343   22.1 
2025-10-16 17:19 UT   02 29 29.7   -64 33 50     9.755   10.067  105.4    5.5   344   22.1 
2025-10-17 00:00 UT   02 29 12.8   -64 34 21     9.759   10.069  105.4    5.5   344   22.1 
2025-10-18 00:00 UT   02 28 12.0   -64 36 10     9.770   10.076  105.1    5.5   345   22.1 
2025-10-19 00:00 UT   02 27 11.0   -64 37 52     9.782   10.084  104.9    5.5   347   22.1 
2025-10-20 00:00 UT   02 26 09.9   -64 39 25     9.794   10.091  104.6    5.5   348   22.1 
2025-10-21 00:00 UT   02 25 08.5   -64 40 51     9.806   10.098  104.3    5.5   349   22.1 
2025-10-22 00:00 UT   02 24 07.0   -64 42 09     9.818   10.105  104.0    5.5   350   22.1 
2025-10-23 00:00 UT   02 23 05.4   -64 43 19     9.830   10.113  103.7    5.5   352   22.1 
2025-10-24 00:00 UT   02 22 03.8   -64 44 22     9.842   10.120  103.4    5.5   353   22.1 
2025-10-25 00:00 UT   02 21 02.1   -64 45 16     9.854   10.127  103.1    5.5   354   22.1 
2025-10-26 00:00 UT   02 20 00.4   -64 46 03     9.867   10.134  102.8    5.5   355   22.1 

    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.