C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	12 Sep 2025	15.4	5.476 AU	6.184 AU	08h39m	+18°44'	41.9°	7.1°	285°
Nearest approach	28 Jan 2026	14.8	5.569 AU	4.603 AU	09h17m	+27°26'	167.7°	2.2°	223°
Today	25 Feb 2026	14.9	5.609 AU	4.721 AU	09h07m	+30°03'	151.4°	4.9°	132°

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 4.1 + 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 C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9979110
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 5.4761040
    i (Inclination)                 : 36.65700
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 119.89090
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 0.65570
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 120.41693
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 0.39146
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460930.72910
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 134214.63

    Epoch                           : 2026 Feb 24
    Reference                       : MPC191586

    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
2026-02-24 00:00 UT   09 07 35.6   +29 58 23     4.712    5.608  152.4    4.7   133   14.9 
2026-02-25 00:00 UT   09 07 15.7   +30 03 02     4.720    5.609  151.5    4.8   132   14.9 
2026-02-25 02:23 UT   09 07 13.7   +30 03 30     4.721    5.609  151.4    4.9   132   14.9 
2026-02-26 00:00 UT   09 06 56.2   +30 07 36     4.728    5.611  150.5    5.0   131   14.9 
2026-02-27 00:00 UT   09 06 37.1   +30 12 04     4.737    5.612  149.5    5.1   130   14.9 
2026-02-28 00:00 UT   09 06 18.5   +30 16 27     4.746    5.614  148.5    5.3   130   14.9 
2026-03-01 00:00 UT   09 06 00.4   +30 20 44     4.755    5.616  147.5    5.4   129   14.9 
2026-03-02 00:00 UT   09 05 42.7   +30 24 55     4.765    5.617  146.5    5.6   128   14.9 
2026-03-03 00:00 UT   09 05 25.4   +30 29 01     4.774    5.619  145.4    5.7   127   14.9 
2026-03-04 00:00 UT   09 05 08.7   +30 33 02     4.784    5.621  144.4    5.9   126   14.9 
2026-03-05 00:00 UT   09 04 52.5   +30 36 57     4.794    5.622  143.4    6.0   126   15.0 
2026-03-06 00:00 UT   09 04 36.8   +30 40 46     4.805    5.624  142.4    6.2   125   15.0 
2026-03-07 00:00 UT   09 04 21.7   +30 44 30     4.816    5.625  141.4    6.3   125   15.0 

    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.