C/2022 E3 (ZTF)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	12 Jan 2023	6.9	1.116 AU	0.712 AU	15h44m	+38°42'	80.6°	60.4°	308°
Nearest approach	1 Feb 2023	5.1	1.163 AU	0.284 AU	06h37m	+70°39'	122.5°	45.6°	139°
Today	23 Mar 2026	23.1	11.183 AU	11.648 AU	01h45m	-55°42'	60.0°	4.4°	152°

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 7.2 + 5 log[∆] + 10.1 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 E3 (ZTF) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0000260
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.1163170
    i (Inclination)                 : 109.18120
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 302.48770
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 145.86200
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 315.04628
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 32.00770
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459956.83960

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 21
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-03-22 00:00 UT   01 44 24.7   -55 47 06    11.639   11.171   59.8    4.4   151   23.1 
2026-03-23 00:00 UT   01 44 50.4   -55 44 28    11.644   11.178   59.9    4.4   152   23.1 
2026-03-23 19:12 UT   01 45 11.1   -55 42 24    11.648   11.183   60.0    4.4   152   23.1 
2026-03-24 00:00 UT   01 45 16.3   -55 41 54    11.649   11.185   60.0    4.4   153   23.1 
2026-03-25 00:00 UT   01 45 42.4   -55 39 23    11.653   11.192   60.2    4.4   154   23.1 
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   01 46 08.7   -55 36 57    11.658   11.199   60.3    4.4   155   23.1 
2026-03-27 00:00 UT   01 46 35.1   -55 34 35    11.663   11.205   60.5    4.4   156   23.1 
2026-03-28 00:00 UT   01 47 01.6   -55 32 16    11.667   11.212   60.7    4.4   156   23.1 
2026-03-29 00:00 UT   01 47 28.3   -55 30 01    11.672   11.219   60.8    4.5   157   23.1 
2026-03-30 00:00 UT   01 47 55.1   -55 27 51    11.676   11.226   61.0    4.5   158   23.2 
2026-03-31 00:00 UT   01 48 22.1   -55 25 44    11.680   11.233   61.2    4.5   159   23.2 
2026-04-01 00:00 UT   01 48 49.2   -55 23 41    11.684   11.240   61.4    4.5   160   23.2 
2026-04-02 00:00 UT   01 49 16.4   -55 21 42    11.688   11.247   61.6    4.5   161   23.2 

    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.