C/2022 O1 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	3 Jul 2021	19.1	7.571 AU	7.204 AU	04h55m	-83°46'	107.4°	7.4°	208°
Perihelion	14 Feb 2022	19.2	7.435 AU	7.808 AU	01h06m	-69°53'	64.4°	6.9°	126°
Today	18 Feb 2026	22.0	11.536 AU	11.832 AU	02h47m	-01°05'	70.2°	4.6°	78°

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. The light curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from an MPEC, or the latest values provided by the minor planet center. (6.0 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 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 O1 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0005510
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 7.4352770
    i (Inclination)                 : 71.06580
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 49.90510
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 268.93300
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 136.62001
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -71.03686
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459625.36860

    Epoch                           : 2026 Feb 18
    Reference                       : MPEC 2024-A43

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-02-17 00:00 UT   02 47 28.8   -01 11 55    11.797   11.528   71.9    4.7    78   22.0 
2026-02-18 00:00 UT   02 47 34.0   -01 08 25    11.817   11.533   71.0    4.6    78   22.0 
2026-02-18 19:01 UT   02 47 38.4   -01 05 38    11.832   11.536   70.2    4.6    78   22.0 
2026-02-19 00:00 UT   02 47 39.6   -01 04 55    11.836   11.537   70.0    4.6    78   22.0 
2026-02-20 00:00 UT   02 47 45.5   -01 01 24    11.856   11.541   69.1    4.6    78   22.0 
2026-02-21 00:00 UT   02 47 51.7   +00 57 54    11.876   11.545   68.2    4.6    79   22.0 
2026-02-22 00:00 UT   02 47 58.2   +00 54 23    11.895   11.550   67.3    4.5    79   22.0 
2026-02-23 00:00 UT   02 48 05.0   +00 50 52    11.915   11.554   66.3    4.5    79   22.0 
2026-02-24 00:00 UT   02 48 12.1   +00 47 21    11.934   11.558   65.4    4.5    80   22.0 
2026-02-25 00:00 UT   02 48 19.4   +00 43 49    11.953   11.562   64.5    4.4    80   22.0 
2026-02-26 00:00 UT   02 48 27.1   +00 40 18    11.973   11.567   63.6    4.4    80   22.0 
2026-02-27 00:00 UT   02 48 35.0   +00 36 46    11.992   11.571   62.7    4.4    81   22.0 
2026-02-28 00:00 UT   02 48 43.2   +00 33 14    12.010   11.575   61.8    4.3    81   22.0 

    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.