C/2022 O1 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	3 Jul 2021	19.1	7.570 AU	7.203 AU	04h55m	-83°46'	107.4°	7.4°	208°
Perihelion	14 Feb 2022	19.2	7.435 AU	7.808 AU	01h06m	-69°54'	64.4°	6.9°	126°
Today	29 Mar 2026	22.2	11.702 AU	12.497 AU	02h54m	+01°09'	35.8°	2.9°	94°

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)                : 1.0004460
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 7.4352670
    i (Inclination)                 : 71.06900
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 49.90410
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 268.93090
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 136.61202
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -71.03994
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459625.28160

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 28
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-03-28 00:00 UT   02 54 10.4   +01 04 19    12.475   11.695   37.2    3.0    93   22.2 
2026-03-29 00:00 UT   02 54 25.0   +01 07 41    12.488   11.700   36.3    2.9    94   22.2 
2026-03-29 15:44 UT   02 54 34.6   +01 09 54    12.497   11.702   35.8    2.9    94   22.2 
2026-03-30 00:00 UT   02 54 39.7   +01 11 04    12.502   11.704   35.5    2.8    94   22.2 
2026-03-31 00:00 UT   02 54 54.7   +01 14 25    12.515   11.708   34.7    2.8    95   22.2 
2026-04-01 00:00 UT   02 55 09.7   +01 17 46    12.529   11.712   33.8    2.7    96   22.2 
2026-04-02 00:00 UT   02 55 25.0   +01 21 06    12.542   11.717   33.0    2.7    97   22.2 
2026-04-03 00:00 UT   02 55 40.3   +01 24 26    12.554   11.721   32.2    2.6    97   22.2 
2026-04-04 00:00 UT   02 55 55.8   +01 27 44    12.567   11.725   31.4    2.5    98   22.2 
2026-04-05 00:00 UT   02 56 11.5   +01 31 02    12.579   11.730   30.6    2.5    99   22.2 
2026-04-06 00:00 UT   02 56 27.3   +01 34 20    12.591   11.734   29.8    2.4   100   22.2 
2026-04-07 00:00 UT   02 56 43.2   +01 37 36    12.603   11.738   29.0    2.4   101   22.2 
2026-04-08 00:00 UT   02 56 59.2   +01 40 52    12.615   11.743   28.2    2.3   102   22.2 

    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.