C/2022 U4 (Bok)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	24 Mar 2023	17.9	3.187 AU	2.514 AU	13h14m	+52°42'	124.5°	14.9°	200°
Perihelion	3 Aug 2023	17.9	2.896 AU	3.064 AU	14h10m	+39°07'	70.9°	19.3°	97°
Today	13 Feb 2026	25.0	8.478 AU	9.439 AU	22h02m	-25°05'	12.3°	1.4°	160°

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 10.9 + 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 U4 (Bok) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9990570
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.8961840
    i (Inclination)                 : 52.05900
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 132.91790
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 88.96940
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 221.24202
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 52.04711
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460160.21800
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 170204.75

    Epoch                           : 2026 Feb 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2023-W26

    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
2026-02-12 00:00 UT   22 01 60.0   -25 07 16     9.431    8.469   12.3    1.4   155   25.0 
2026-02-13 00:00 UT   22 02 33.1   -25 05 56     9.438    8.476   12.3    1.4   159   25.0 
2026-02-13 04:41 UT   22 02 39.5   -25 05 41     9.439    8.478   12.3    1.4   160   25.0 
2026-02-14 00:00 UT   22 03 06.2   -25 04 37     9.445    8.483   12.3    1.4   164   25.0 
2026-02-15 00:00 UT   22 03 39.2   -25 03 20     9.451    8.490   12.5    1.4   168   25.0 
2026-02-16 00:00 UT   22 04 12.2   -25 02 03     9.457    8.497   12.6    1.5   172   25.0 
2026-02-17 00:00 UT   22 04 45.2   -25 00 48     9.463    8.503   12.9    1.5   175   25.0 
2026-02-18 00:00 UT   22 05 18.2   -24 59 33     9.469    8.510   13.2    1.5   179   25.0 
2026-02-19 00:00 UT   22 05 51.0   -24 58 20     9.475    8.517   13.5    1.6   183   25.0 
2026-02-20 00:00 UT   22 06 23.9   -24 57 08     9.480    8.524   13.9    1.6   186   25.0 
2026-02-21 00:00 UT   22 06 56.7   -24 55 57     9.485    8.530   14.3    1.6   189   25.0 
2026-02-22 00:00 UT   22 07 29.4   -24 54 47     9.489    8.537   14.8    1.7   192   25.0 
2026-02-23 00:00 UT   22 08 02.0   -24 53 39     9.494    8.544   15.3    1.8   195   25.1 

    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.