C/2022 L1 (Catalina)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	18 Jul 2022	16.9	1.857 AU	0.899 AU	18h58m	+04°27'	151.6°	15.1°	154°
Perihelion	27 Sep 2022	17.1	1.591 AU	2.050 AU	15h20m	+16°55'	49.4°	28.6°	72°
Today	18 Aug 2025	39.3	10.028 AU	10.876 AU	07h43m	+11°07'	31.6°	3.0°	263°

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.)

The orbital elements of C/2022 L1 (Catalina) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9961770
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.5910600
            i (Inclination)                 : 123.43730
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 300.03140
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 59.79750
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 256.60098
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 46.15445
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459850.13460
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 8490.31

            Epoch                           : 2025 Aug 18
            Reference                       : MPEC 2023-CD7

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)
        

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC. The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (15.80 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 10.86 + 5 log[∆] + 23.24 log[r]).

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.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.

The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.

A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Ephemerides:

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-08-18 00:00 UT   07 42 53.3   +11 09 14    10.877   10.022   30.9    3.0   263   39.3 
2025-08-18 20:02 UT   07 43 05.9   +11 07 34    10.876   10.028   31.6    3.0   263   39.3 
2025-08-19 00:00 UT   07 43 08.4   +11 07 15    10.875   10.029   31.7    3.0   263   39.3 
2025-08-20 00:00 UT   07 43 23.3   +11 05 15    10.873   10.036   32.6    3.1   264   39.3 
2025-08-21 00:00 UT   07 43 38.0   +11 03 14    10.871   10.043   33.4    3.2   265   39.3 
2025-08-22 00:00 UT   07 43 52.4   +11 01 14    10.869   10.050   34.3    3.3   265   39.3 
2025-08-23 00:00 UT   07 44 06.7   +10 59 12    10.867   10.057   35.1    3.3   266   39.3 
2025-08-24 00:00 UT   07 44 20.8   +10 57 11    10.864   10.064   36.0    3.4   266   39.3 
2025-08-25 00:00 UT   07 44 34.6   +10 55 09    10.861   10.071   36.9    3.5   266   39.3 
2025-08-26 00:00 UT   07 44 48.2   +10 53 07    10.858   10.078   37.7    3.5   267   39.4 
2025-08-27 00:00 UT   07 45 01.6   +10 51 05    10.854   10.085   38.6    3.6   267   39.4 
2025-08-28 00:00 UT   07 45 14.8   +10 49 02    10.850   10.092   39.5    3.7   268   39.4 

    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.