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	27 Mar 2026	38.6	10.228 AU	9.268 AU	12h09m	+13°58'	163.3°	1.6°	168°

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
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   12 09 58.6   +13 54 16     9.258   10.221  164.0    1.5   172   38.6 
2026-03-27 00:00 UT   12 09 31.4   +13 57 23     9.266   10.227  163.4    1.6   169   38.6 
2026-03-27 04:57 UT   12 09 25.8   +13 58 02     9.268   10.228  163.3    1.6   168   38.6 
2026-03-28 00:00 UT   12 09 04.2   +14 00 29     9.275   10.233  162.7    1.7   166   38.6 
2026-03-29 00:00 UT   12 08 37.1   +14 03 32     9.284   10.238  162.0    1.7   163   38.6 
2026-03-30 00:00 UT   12 08 10.0   +14 06 32     9.293   10.244  161.3    1.8   160   38.6 
2026-03-31 00:00 UT   12 07 43.1   +14 09 30     9.302   10.250  160.6    1.9   158   38.6 
2026-04-01 00:00 UT   12 07 16.3   +14 12 26     9.312   10.256  159.8    1.9   156   38.6 
2026-04-02 00:00 UT   12 06 49.5   +14 15 18     9.322   10.261  158.9    2.0   154   38.6 
2026-04-03 00:00 UT   12 06 22.9   +14 18 08     9.332   10.267  158.1    2.1   152   38.6 
2026-04-04 00:00 UT   12 05 56.4   +14 20 56     9.343   10.273  157.2    2.2   150   38.6 
2026-04-05 00:00 UT   12 05 30.1   +14 23 40     9.354   10.279  156.4    2.2   148   38.7 
2026-04-06 00:00 UT   12 05 03.9   +14 26 22     9.365   10.284  155.5    2.3   147   38.7 

    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.