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	14 Sep 2026	42.0	12.633 AU	13.121 AU	07h31m	+06°48'	59.0°	3.9°	270°

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
2026-09-13 00:00 UT   07 31 34.2   +06 51 15    13.133   12.623   57.6    3.9   270   42.0 
2026-09-14 00:00 UT   07 31 40.9   +06 49 27    13.126   12.629   58.5    3.9   270   42.0 
2026-09-14 13:08 UT   07 31 44.4   +06 48 28    13.121   12.633   59.0    3.9   270   42.0 
2026-09-15 00:00 UT   07 31 47.3   +06 47 39    13.118   12.636   59.4    3.9   270   42.0 
2026-09-16 00:00 UT   07 31 53.5   +06 45 51    13.110   12.642   60.3    4.0   271   42.0 
2026-09-17 00:00 UT   07 31 59.4   +06 44 02    13.102   12.648   61.2    4.0   271   42.1 
2026-09-18 00:00 UT   07 32 05.1   +06 42 14    13.093   12.655   62.1    4.0   271   42.1 
2026-09-19 00:00 UT   07 32 10.4   +06 40 26    13.085   12.661   63.0    4.1   271   42.1 
2026-09-20 00:00 UT   07 32 15.6   +06 38 37    13.076   12.667   63.9    4.1   272   42.1 
2026-09-21 00:00 UT   07 32 20.4   +06 36 49    13.067   12.674   64.8    4.1   272   42.1 
2026-09-22 00:00 UT   07 32 25.0   +06 35 00    13.059   12.680   65.8    4.1   272   42.1 
2026-09-23 00:00 UT   07 32 29.3   +06 33 12    13.050   12.686   66.7    4.2   273   42.1 
2026-09-24 00:00 UT   07 32 33.3   +06 31 24    13.041   12.693   67.6    4.2   273   42.1 

    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.