C/2022 R2 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	3 Oct 2022	13.7	0.789 AU	1.011 AU	10h14m	+27°09'	46.2°	66.2°	307°
Perihelion	25 Oct 2022	13.1	0.629 AU	1.230 AU	13h21m	+16°56'	30.6°	53.5°	341°
Today	18 Mar 2026	30.9	12.065 AU	12.243 AU	19h31m	-60°38'	77.4°	4.6°	248°

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 14.7 + 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 C/2022 R2 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9986060
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.6294710
    i (Inclination)                 : 52.86570
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 60.34990
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 78.33510
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 131.46999
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 51.32999
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459878.29260
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 9595.54

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 16
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

    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
2026-03-17 00:00 UT   19 30 31.1   -60 33 51    12.254   12.053   76.0    4.6   247   30.9 
2026-03-18 00:00 UT   19 30 50.0   -60 36 36    12.247   12.059   76.8    4.6   248   30.9 
2026-03-18 18:51 UT   19 31 04.5   -60 38 46    12.243   12.065   77.4    4.6   248   30.9 
2026-03-19 00:00 UT   19 31 08.4   -60 39 22    12.241   12.066   77.5    4.6   249   30.9 
2026-03-20 00:00 UT   19 31 26.2   -60 42 10    12.235   12.073   78.3    4.6   249   30.9 
2026-03-21 00:00 UT   19 31 43.4   -60 45 00    12.229   12.080   79.0    4.6   250   30.9 
2026-03-22 00:00 UT   19 32 00.1   -60 47 52    12.223   12.087   79.8    4.7   250   30.9 
2026-03-23 00:00 UT   19 32 16.2   -60 50 45    12.216   12.093   80.5    4.7   251   30.9 
2026-03-24 00:00 UT   19 32 31.7   -60 53 40    12.210   12.100   81.3    4.7   251   30.9 
2026-03-25 00:00 UT   19 32 46.6   -60 56 37    12.204   12.107   82.1    4.7   252   30.9 
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   19 33 00.9   -60 59 35    12.197   12.114   82.8    4.7   253   30.9 
2026-03-27 00:00 UT   19 33 14.7   -61 02 35    12.191   12.120   83.6    4.7   253   30.9 
2026-03-28 00:00 UT   19 33 27.8   -61 05 37    12.184   12.127   84.3    4.7   254   30.9 

    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.