P/2022 P2 (ZTF)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	11 Jul 2022	18.9	1.986 AU	2.845 AU	05h26m	+29°01'	26.4°	13.1°	278°
Nearest approach	25 Jan 2023	19.0	2.628 AU	1.702 AU	09h49m	+03°15'	155.1°	9.1°	311°
Today	20 Oct 2025	26.2	6.498 AU	7.414 AU	14h43m	-25°57'	21.4°	3.2°	133°

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 13.7 + 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 P/2022 P2 (ZTF) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.5578920
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.9861250
    i (Inclination)                 : 12.44140
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 291.16880
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 137.79380
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 249.63929
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 8.32184
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459771.52300
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 9.52

    Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 19
    Reference                       : MPEC 2023-XP6

    Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
    Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.664

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-10-19 00:00 UT   14 42 30.6   -25 53 07     7.402    6.495   22.7    3.4   132   26.2 
2025-10-20 00:00 UT   14 43 12.8   -25 55 31     7.409    6.496   22.0    3.3   133   26.2 
2025-10-20 17:09 UT   14 43 43.0   -25 57 14     7.414    6.498   21.4    3.2   133   26.2 
2025-10-21 00:00 UT   14 43 55.1   -25 57 55     7.416    6.498   21.2    3.2   134   26.2 
2025-10-22 00:00 UT   14 44 37.5   -26 00 21     7.423    6.500   20.5    3.1   135   26.2 
2025-10-23 00:00 UT   14 45 20.1   -26 02 47     7.430    6.502   19.8    3.0   136   26.2 
2025-10-24 00:00 UT   14 46 02.7   -26 05 15     7.436    6.504   19.0    2.9   137   26.2 
2025-10-25 00:00 UT   14 46 45.4   -26 07 44     7.442    6.506   18.3    2.8   138   26.2 
2025-10-26 00:00 UT   14 47 28.2   -26 10 13     7.448    6.508   17.6    2.7   140   26.2 
2025-10-27 00:00 UT   14 48 11.1   -26 12 43     7.454    6.510   16.9    2.5   141   26.2 
2025-10-28 00:00 UT   14 48 54.1   -26 15 14     7.459    6.511   16.2    2.4   143   26.2 
2025-10-29 00:00 UT   14 49 37.1   -26 17 46     7.465    6.513   15.6    2.3   144   26.2 
2025-10-30 00:00 UT   14 50 20.2   -26 20 19     7.470    6.515   14.9    2.3   146   26.2 

    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.