C/2022 F1 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	24 Jun 2022	18.5	5.988 AU	5.514 AU	11h36m	-88°46'	113.2°	9.0°	99°
Perihelion	6 Aug 2022	18.5	5.980 AU	5.616 AU	14h42m	-85°19'	106.3°	9.4°	97°
Today	29 Sep 2026	22.7	11.523 AU	10.549 AU	23h24m	+02°25'	165.7°	1.2°	90°

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. (7.0 + 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 F1 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9998320
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 5.9804320
    i (Inclination)                 : 57.98010
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 350.63650
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 278.39090
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 276.18301
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -57.01236
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459797.72500

    Epoch                           : 2026 Sep 28
    Reference                       : MPC194179

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-09-28 00:00 UT   23 24 55.8   +02 26 46    10.536   11.516  167.1    1.1    93   22.7 
2026-09-29 00:00 UT   23 24 37.1   +02 26 10    10.545   11.521  166.1    1.2    91   22.7 
2026-09-29 09:39 UT   23 24 29.6   +02 25 55    10.549   11.523  165.7    1.2    90   22.7 
2026-09-30 00:00 UT   23 24 18.5   +02 25 34    10.554   11.526  165.1    1.3    89   22.7 
2026-10-01 00:00 UT   23 24 00.1   +02 24 57    10.564   11.531  164.2    1.4    88   22.7 
2026-10-02 00:00 UT   23 23 41.8   +02 24 21    10.574   11.536  163.2    1.4    86   22.7 
2026-10-03 00:00 UT   23 23 23.7   +02 23 45    10.584   11.541  162.2    1.5    85   22.7 
2026-10-04 00:00 UT   23 23 05.6   +02 23 09    10.594   11.546  161.1    1.6    84   22.7 
2026-10-05 00:00 UT   23 22 47.8   +02 22 34    10.605   11.551  160.1    1.7    83   22.8 
2026-10-06 00:00 UT   23 22 30.1   +02 21 58    10.615   11.555  159.1    1.8    82   22.8 
2026-10-07 00:00 UT   23 22 12.6   +02 21 23    10.627   11.560  158.1    1.8    82   22.8 
2026-10-08 00:00 UT   23 21 55.3   +02 20 49    10.638   11.565  157.1    1.9    81   22.8 
2026-10-09 00:00 UT   23 21 38.1   +02 20 14    10.650   11.570  156.1    2.0    80   22.8 

    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.