C/2022 L1 (Catalina)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	18 Jul 2022	16.9	1.856 AU	0.898 AU	18h58m	+04°33'	151.5°	15.1°	155°
Perihelion	27 Sep 2022	17.1	1.591 AU	2.049 AU	15h20m	+16°58'	49.4°	28.6°	73°
Today	28 Jan 2026	40.2	11.142 AU	10.231 AU	07h16m	+07°56'	156.6°	2.0°	62°

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)                : 0.9960500
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.5911230
    i (Inclination)                 : 123.43490
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 300.03070
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 59.78950
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 256.61128
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 46.15125
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459849.95930
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 8084.63

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2023-CD7

    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
2026-01-27 00:00 UT   07 17 15.2   +07 55 57    10.211   11.131  158.0    1.9    59   40.2 
2026-01-28 00:00 UT   07 16 50.7   +07 56 29    10.223   11.137  157.2    2.0    61   40.2 
2026-01-28 17:08 UT   07 16 33.3   +07 56 53    10.231   11.142  156.6    2.0    62   40.2 
2026-01-29 00:00 UT   07 16 26.4   +07 57 03    10.235   11.144  156.3    2.0    63   40.2 
2026-01-30 00:00 UT   07 16 02.3   +07 57 37    10.247   11.151  155.4    2.1    64   40.2 
2026-01-31 00:00 UT   07 15 38.4   +07 58 12    10.260   11.157  154.5    2.2    66   40.3 
2026-02-01 00:00 UT   07 15 14.7   +07 58 48    10.273   11.164  153.6    2.3    67   40.3 
2026-02-02 00:00 UT   07 14 51.3   +07 59 25    10.286   11.171  152.6    2.3    68   40.3 
2026-02-03 00:00 UT   07 14 28.1   +08 00 02    10.300   11.177  151.7    2.4    69   40.3 
2026-02-04 00:00 UT   07 14 05.1   +08 00 41    10.314   11.184  150.7    2.5    71   40.3 
2026-02-05 00:00 UT   07 13 42.4   +08 01 20    10.328   11.191  149.8    2.5    72   40.3 
2026-02-06 00:00 UT   07 13 19.9   +08 02 00    10.342   11.197  148.8    2.6    73   40.3 
2026-02-07 00:00 UT   07 12 57.7   +08 02 41    10.357   11.204  147.8    2.7    74   40.3 

    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.