C/2022 L1 (Catalina)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	18 Jul 2022	16.9	1.854 AU	0.897 AU	18h58m	+04°49'	151.3°	15.2°	155°
Perihelion	27 Sep 2022	17.1	1.592 AU	2.045 AU	15h20m	+17°05'	49.7°	28.7°	73°
Today	29 Jun 2026	41.6	12.139 AU	13.102 AU	07h15m	+08°40'	17.9°	1.5°	146°

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 10.9 + 5 log[∆] + 23.2 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 L1 (Catalina) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9959030
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.5915090
    i (Inclination)                 : 123.43210
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 300.02980
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 59.77340
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 256.63098
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 46.14342
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459849.52930
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 7656.23

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194180

    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
2026-06-28 00:00 UT   07 14 41.2   +08 41 19    13.088   12.130   18.7    1.5   143   41.6 
2026-06-29 00:00 UT   07 14 57.0   +08 40 27    13.098   12.137   18.1    1.5   145   41.6 
2026-06-29 07:21 UT   07 15 01.8   +08 40 11    13.102   12.139   17.9    1.5   146   41.6 
2026-06-30 00:00 UT   07 15 12.8   +08 39 34    13.108   12.143   17.5    1.4   147   41.6 
2026-07-01 00:00 UT   07 15 28.7   +08 38 40    13.118   12.150   17.0    1.4   150   41.6 
2026-07-02 00:00 UT   07 15 44.5   +08 37 45    13.127   12.156   16.5    1.4   152   41.7 
2026-07-03 00:00 UT   07 16 00.4   +08 36 48    13.136   12.163   16.0    1.3   155   41.7 
2026-07-04 00:00 UT   07 16 16.3   +08 35 51    13.145   12.169   15.6    1.3   158   41.7 
2026-07-05 00:00 UT   07 16 32.2   +08 34 52    13.153   12.176   15.2    1.3   161   41.7 
2026-07-06 00:00 UT   07 16 48.1   +08 33 53    13.162   12.182   14.8    1.2   164   41.7 
2026-07-07 00:00 UT   07 17 04.0   +08 32 52    13.170   12.188   14.5    1.2   167   41.7 
2026-07-08 00:00 UT   07 17 19.9   +08 31 50    13.177   12.195   14.2    1.2   171   41.7 
2026-07-09 00:00 UT   07 17 35.9   +08 30 47    13.185   12.201   14.0    1.2   174   41.7 

    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.