C/2022 P3 (ZTF)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	27 Jul 2022	18.9	2.570 AU	3.297 AU	05h44m	+23°33'	37.7°	14.0°	269°
Nearest approach	30 Nov 2022	18.4	2.894 AU	2.257 AU	08h31m	+65°14'	121.2°	17.0°	253°
Today	26 Sep 2026	25.5	12.406 AU	13.025 AU	15h06m	+25°43'	50.1°	3.6°	64°

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)                : 0.9904540
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.5701270
    i (Inclination)                 : 59.50430
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 72.24010
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 0.26720
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 72.37570
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 0.23024
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459787.94650
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 4417.74

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194181

    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
2026-09-25 00:00 UT   15 05 48.1   +25 48 50    13.006   12.397   50.8    3.6    66   25.5 
2026-09-26 00:00 UT   15 06 03.6   +25 45 16    13.018   12.403   50.3    3.6    65   25.5 
2026-09-26 12:21 UT   15 06 11.6   +25 43 27    13.025   12.406   50.1    3.6    64   25.5 
2026-09-27 00:00 UT   15 06 19.2   +25 41 44    13.031   12.409   49.9    3.5    64   25.5 
2026-09-28 00:00 UT   15 06 35.1   +25 38 14    13.043   12.415   49.4    3.5    63   25.5 
2026-09-29 00:00 UT   15 06 51.1   +25 34 46    13.056   12.421   48.9    3.5    62   25.6 
2026-09-30 00:00 UT   15 07 07.3   +25 31 20    13.068   12.427   48.5    3.5    61   25.6 
2026-10-01 00:00 UT   15 07 23.7   +25 27 55    13.080   12.433   48.0    3.4    60   25.6 
2026-10-02 00:00 UT   15 07 40.3   +25 24 33    13.092   12.439   47.6    3.4    59   25.6 
2026-10-03 00:00 UT   15 07 57.0   +25 21 13    13.103   12.445   47.2    3.4    58   25.6 
2026-10-04 00:00 UT   15 08 13.9   +25 17 54    13.115   12.451   46.8    3.4    56   25.6 
2026-10-05 00:00 UT   15 08 31.0   +25 14 38    13.126   12.457   46.4    3.3    55   25.6 
2026-10-06 00:00 UT   15 08 48.2   +25 11 24    13.137   12.463   46.0    3.3    54   25.6 

    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.