C/2022 P3 (ZTF)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	27 Jul 2022	18.9	2.568 AU	3.294 AU	05h44m	+23°32'	37.8°	14.0°	269°
Nearest approach	30 Nov 2022	18.4	2.891 AU	2.255 AU	08h31m	+65°14'	121.1°	17.0°	254°
Today	21 Jan 2026	24.9	10.865 AU	10.941 AU	15h34m	+28°41'	82.9°	5.2°	297°

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 14.1 + 5 log[∆] + 5.4 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 P3 (ZTF) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9903710
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.5679160
    i (Inclination)                 : 59.51340
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 72.22460
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 0.24340
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 72.34809
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 0.20975
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459788.02080
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 4355.11

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2023-HD1

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-01-20 00:00 UT   15 33 56.3   +28 38 04    10.949   10.856   82.0    5.1   298   24.9 
2026-01-21 00:00 UT   15 34 08.2   +28 40 23    10.944   10.862   82.7    5.2   298   24.9 
2026-01-21 09:39 UT   15 34 12.8   +28 41 20    10.941   10.865   82.9    5.2   297   24.9 
2026-01-22 00:00 UT   15 34 19.7   +28 42 45    10.938   10.869   83.3    5.2   297   24.9 
2026-01-23 00:00 UT   15 34 30.8   +28 45 10    10.933   10.875   84.0    5.2   296   24.9 
2026-01-24 00:00 UT   15 34 41.6   +28 47 37    10.928   10.881   84.7    5.2   295   24.9 
2026-01-25 00:00 UT   15 34 52.0   +28 50 07    10.922   10.888   85.4    5.2   295   24.9 
2026-01-26 00:00 UT   15 35 02.0   +28 52 40    10.917   10.894   86.1    5.2   294   24.9 
2026-01-27 00:00 UT   15 35 11.6   +28 55 15    10.911   10.900   86.8    5.2   293   24.9 
2026-01-28 00:00 UT   15 35 20.8   +28 57 52    10.906   10.907   87.4    5.2   293   24.9 
2026-01-29 00:00 UT   15 35 29.7   +29 00 31    10.900   10.913   88.1    5.2   292   24.9 
2026-01-30 00:00 UT   15 35 38.2   +29 03 13    10.895   10.920   88.8    5.2   291   24.9 
2026-01-31 00:00 UT   15 35 46.2   +29 05 57    10.890   10.926   89.5    5.2   290   24.9 

    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.