C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Today20 Apr 202416.56.599 AU7.250 AU04h52m-01°28'46.5°6.3°108°
Perihelion10 Sep 202515.15.480 AU6.208 AU08h38m+18°41'40.4°6.8°285°
Nearest approach28 Jan 202614.65.576 AU4.609 AU09h17m+27°22'167.8°2.1°224°
C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS)- 2024-04-20
astro.vanbuitenen.nl


 
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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.)

The orbital elements of C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0039940
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 5.4797250
            i (Inclination)                 : 36.55150
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 119.93850
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 0.38460
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 120.24746
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 0.22905
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460928.74640

            Epoch                           : 2024 Apr 19
            Reference                       : MPEC 2024-GJ3

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)
        

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC. The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (5.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 1.91 + 5 log[∆] + 12.49 log[r]).


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.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.


The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.


A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.



Ephemerides:
Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2024-04-20 00:00 UT   04 52 33.7   -01 29 30     7.248    6.600   46.7    6.4   107   16.5 
2024-04-20 06:12 UT   04 52 43.0   -01 28 11     7.250    6.599   46.5    6.3   108   16.5 
2024-04-21 00:00 UT   04 53 09.8   -01 24 25     7.254    6.596   46.0    6.3   108   16.5 
2024-04-22 00:00 UT   04 53 46.2   -01 19 21     7.260    6.592   45.3    6.2   109   16.5 
2024-04-23 00:00 UT   04 54 22.9   -01 14 20     7.266    6.588   44.7    6.2   109   16.5 
2024-04-24 00:00 UT   04 54 59.9   -01 09 22     7.271    6.584   44.0    6.1   110   16.4 
2024-04-25 00:00 UT   04 55 37.2   -01 04 25     7.276    6.580   43.3    6.0   111   16.4 
2024-04-26 00:00 UT   04 56 14.9   +00 59 31     7.282    6.577   42.6    5.9   111   16.4 
2024-04-27 00:00 UT   04 56 52.8   +00 54 40     7.287    6.573   42.0    5.9   112   16.4 
2024-04-28 00:00 UT   04 57 31.0   +00 49 51     7.292    6.569   41.3    5.8   113   16.4 
2024-04-29 00:00 UT   04 58 09.4   +00 45 04     7.296    6.565   40.6    5.7   113   16.4 
2024-04-30 00:00 UT   04 58 48.2   +00 40 20     7.301    6.561   40.0    5.7   114   16.4 


    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.