C/2022 W2 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	21 Jan 2023	18.2	3.160 AU	2.812 AU	22h17m	+80°13'	101.6°	17.8°	30°
Perihelion	8 Mar 2023	18.3	3.129 AU	2.962 AU	04h04m	+74°20'	90.3°	18.5°	72°
Today	14 Aug 2026	26.4	10.494 AU	11.074 AU	10h04m	-37°55'	52.9°	4.4°	171°

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 11.0 + 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 W2 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9907790
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.1286070
    i (Inclination)                 : 63.48940
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 320.41880
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 123.36790
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 286.29050
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 48.36057
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460011.97410
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 6249.70

    Epoch                           : 2026 Aug 13
    Reference                       : MPC194183

    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
2026-08-13 00:00 UT   10 03 38.5   -37 53 16    11.060   10.487   53.3    4.4   170   26.4 
2026-08-14 00:00 UT   10 04 04.5   -37 55 17    11.071   10.493   53.0    4.4   171   26.4 
2026-08-14 04:26 UT   10 04 09.4   -37 55 40    11.074   10.494   52.9    4.4   171   26.4 
2026-08-15 00:00 UT   10 04 30.6   -37 57 22    11.083   10.499   52.6    4.4   172   26.4 
2026-08-16 00:00 UT   10 04 56.8   -37 59 31    11.095   10.505   52.2    4.4   173   26.4 
2026-08-17 00:00 UT   10 05 22.9   -38 01 43    11.106   10.511   51.9    4.3   173   26.4 
2026-08-18 00:00 UT   10 05 49.1   -38 03 58    11.117   10.518   51.5    4.3   174   26.4 
2026-08-19 00:00 UT   10 06 15.2   -38 06 18    11.129   10.524   51.2    4.3   175   26.4 
2026-08-20 00:00 UT   10 06 41.4   -38 08 40    11.139   10.530   50.8    4.3   176   26.4 
2026-08-21 00:00 UT   10 07 07.6   -38 11 06    11.150   10.536   50.5    4.3   177   26.4 
2026-08-22 00:00 UT   10 07 33.7   -38 13 36    11.161   10.543   50.2    4.2   179   26.4 
2026-08-23 00:00 UT   10 07 59.9   -38 16 09    11.171   10.549   49.9    4.2   180   26.4 
2026-08-24 00:00 UT   10 08 26.0   -38 18 46    11.182   10.555   49.6    4.2   181   26.4 

    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.