C/2022 P1 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	25 Sep 2022	10.6	1.793 AU	0.846 AU	00h18m	-27°12'	151.9°	15.3°	354°
Perihelion	28 Nov 2022	11.0	1.590 AU	2.106 AU	19h37m	-39°31'	46.1°	26.6°	98°
Today	3 May 2026	39.0	10.439 AU	9.776 AU	11h54m	+15°20'	128.9°	4.3°	125°

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 3.3 + 5 log[∆] + 30.2 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 P1 (NEOWISE) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9137540
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.5902570
    i (Inclination)                 : 154.57200
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 205.05050
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 249.81700
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 137.19788
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -23.76654
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459912.23030
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 79.18

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 16
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-05-02 00:00 UT   11 55 00.5   +15 18 50     9.756   10.433  130.0    4.2   126   38.9 
2026-05-03 00:00 UT   11 54 41.1   +15 20 09     9.774   10.439  129.0    4.3   125   39.0 
2026-05-03 02:17 UT   11 54 39.3   +15 20 16     9.776   10.439  128.9    4.3   125   39.0 
2026-05-04 00:00 UT   11 54 22.1   +15 21 25     9.793   10.444  128.0    4.4   125   39.0 
2026-05-05 00:00 UT   11 54 03.5   +15 22 37     9.812   10.450  127.0    4.4   125   39.0 
2026-05-06 00:00 UT   11 53 45.1   +15 23 46     9.830   10.456  126.0    4.5   124   39.0 
2026-05-07 00:00 UT   11 53 27.2   +15 24 52     9.849   10.461  125.0    4.5   124   39.0 
2026-05-08 00:00 UT   11 53 09.5   +15 25 55     9.869   10.467  124.0    4.6   123   39.0 
2026-05-09 00:00 UT   11 52 52.3   +15 26 55     9.888   10.473  123.0    4.6   123   39.0 
2026-05-10 00:00 UT   11 52 35.4   +15 27 52     9.908   10.478  122.0    4.7   123   39.0 
2026-05-11 00:00 UT   11 52 18.8   +15 28 46     9.927   10.484  121.0    4.7   122   39.0 
2026-05-12 00:00 UT   11 52 02.6   +15 29 37     9.947   10.490  120.0    4.8   122   39.1 
2026-05-13 00:00 UT   11 51 46.8   +15 30 25     9.967   10.495  119.1    4.8   122   39.1 

    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.