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°32'	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 Oct 2025	39.7	10.519 AU	10.342 AU	07h48m	+08°47'	97.6°	5.4°	282°

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)                : 0.9960710
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.5911050
    i (Inclination)                 : 123.43520
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 300.03080
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 59.79070
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 256.60978
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 46.15177
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459849.99050
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 8149.39

    Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 28
    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
2025-10-27 00:00 UT   07 49 05.9   +08 50 16    10.360   10.507   95.8    5.4   282   39.7 
2025-10-28 00:00 UT   07 48 58.6   +08 48 35    10.350   10.514   96.8    5.4   282   39.7 
2025-10-28 19:07 UT   07 48 52.4   +08 47 15    10.342   10.519   97.6    5.4   282   39.7 
2025-10-29 00:00 UT   07 48 50.8   +08 46 55    10.340   10.521   97.8    5.4   282   39.7 
2025-10-30 00:00 UT   07 48 42.6   +08 45 16    10.330   10.528   98.8    5.3   283   39.7 
2025-10-31 00:00 UT   07 48 34.1   +08 43 38    10.320   10.534   99.8    5.3   283   39.7 
2025-11-01 00:00 UT   07 48 25.1   +08 42 01    10.310   10.541  100.8    5.3   283   39.7 
2025-11-02 00:00 UT   07 48 15.7   +08 40 25    10.300   10.548  101.8    5.3   283   39.7 
2025-11-03 00:00 UT   07 48 05.9   +08 38 51    10.290   10.555  102.8    5.3   283   39.7 
2025-11-04 00:00 UT   07 47 55.8   +08 37 18    10.281   10.562  103.8    5.2   284   39.7 
2025-11-05 00:00 UT   07 47 45.2   +08 35 45    10.271   10.569  104.8    5.2   284   39.7 
2025-11-06 00:00 UT   07 47 34.2   +08 34 14    10.262   10.576  105.8    5.2   284   39.7 
2025-11-07 00:00 UT   07 47 22.8   +08 32 45    10.252   10.582  106.9    5.1   284   39.7 

    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.