C/2022 E2 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	14 Sep 2024	13.5	3.668 AU	3.958 AU	07h37m	+46°44'	66.1°	14.5°	292°
Nearest approach	1 Dec 2024	12.9	3.734 AU	2.987 AU	04h45m	+68°22'	133.4°	11.1°	185°
Today	27 Mar 2026	16.9	6.008 AU	6.829 AU	23h04m	+28°34'	32.2°	5.1°	320°

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 4.6 + 5 log[∆] + 10.4 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 E2 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0006100
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.6675600
    i (Inclination)                 : 137.14110
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 125.39580
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 41.77800
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 92.17505
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 26.94773
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460567.77810

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 25
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-FC3

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   23 03 28.0   +28 32 39     6.821    5.999   32.0    5.1   323   16.9 
2026-03-27 00:00 UT   23 03 50.2   +28 34 08     6.826    6.005   32.1    5.1   321   16.9 
2026-03-27 12:43 UT   23 04 01.8   +28 34 56     6.829    6.008   32.2    5.1   320   16.9 
2026-03-28 00:00 UT   23 04 12.1   +28 35 39     6.831    6.011   32.3    5.1   319   16.9 
2026-03-29 00:00 UT   23 04 33.8   +28 37 14     6.836    6.017   32.5    5.1   318   16.9 
2026-03-30 00:00 UT   23 04 55.3   +28 38 52     6.840    6.024   32.7    5.1   316   16.9 
2026-03-31 00:00 UT   23 05 16.4   +28 40 34     6.844    6.030   32.9    5.2   315   16.9 
2026-04-01 00:00 UT   23 05 37.3   +28 42 18     6.848    6.036   33.1    5.2   313   16.9 
2026-04-02 00:00 UT   23 05 57.9   +28 44 05     6.851    6.042   33.4    5.2   311   16.9 
2026-04-03 00:00 UT   23 06 18.2   +28 45 56     6.855    6.048   33.7    5.3   310   16.9 
2026-04-04 00:00 UT   23 06 38.3   +28 47 49     6.858    6.055   34.0    5.3   308   16.9 
2026-04-05 00:00 UT   23 06 58.0   +28 49 45     6.861    6.061   34.3    5.3   307   16.9 
2026-04-06 00:00 UT   23 07 17.4   +28 51 43     6.863    6.067   34.6    5.4   305   16.9 

    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.