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°47'	107.4°	7.4°	208°
Perihelion	15 Feb 2022	19.2	7.435 AU	7.808 AU	01h06m	-69°52'	64.4°	6.9°	126°
Today	16 Dec 2025	21.6	11.263 AU	10.583 AU	02h53m	-04°15'	131.8°	3.7°	53°

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)                : 1.0007260
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 7.4352360
    i (Inclination)                 : 71.06130
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 49.90670
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 268.93560
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 136.63034
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -71.03251
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459625.50280

    Epoch                           : 2025 Dec 15
    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
2025-12-15 00:00 UT   02 53 45.6   -04 18 34    10.560   11.256  133.2    3.7    52   21.6 
2025-12-16 00:00 UT   02 53 29.1   -04 16 35    10.575   11.261  132.2    3.7    53   21.6 
2025-12-16 12:14 UT   02 53 20.8   -04 15 33    10.583   11.263  131.8    3.7    53   21.6 
2025-12-17 00:00 UT   02 53 12.9   -04 14 33    10.591   11.265  131.3    3.8    54   21.6 
2025-12-18 00:00 UT   02 52 56.9   -04 12 28    10.607   11.269  130.4    3.8    54   21.6 
2025-12-19 00:00 UT   02 52 41.3   -04 10 21    10.623   11.273  129.4    3.9    55   21.7 
2025-12-20 00:00 UT   02 52 25.9   -04 08 12    10.639   11.277  128.5    3.9    56   21.7 
2025-12-21 00:00 UT   02 52 10.8   -04 06 01    10.655   11.282  127.5    4.0    56   21.7 
2025-12-22 00:00 UT   02 51 56.1   -04 03 48    10.672   11.286  126.6    4.0    57   21.7 
2025-12-23 00:00 UT   02 51 41.7   -04 01 32    10.689   11.290  125.6    4.1    57   21.7 
2025-12-24 00:00 UT   02 51 27.6   -03 59 14    10.706   11.294  124.6    4.1    58   21.7 
2025-12-25 00:00 UT   02 51 13.8   -03 56 54    10.723   11.299  123.7    4.2    58   21.7 
2025-12-26 00:00 UT   02 51 00.3   -03 54 32    10.741   11.303  122.7    4.2    59   21.7 

    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.