C/2022 L1 (Catalina)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	18 Jul 2022	16.9	1.855 AU	0.898 AU	18h58m	+04°42'	151.4°	15.2°	155°
Perihelion	27 Sep 2022	17.1	1.591 AU	2.047 AU	15h20m	+17°02'	49.6°	28.7°	73°
Today	1 May 2026	41.1	11.759 AU	12.137 AU	07h02m	+08°59'	65.7°	4.5°	103°

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[∆] + 23.2 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 L1 (Catalina) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9959880
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.5913100
    i (Inclination)                 : 123.43290
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 300.03010
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 59.77680
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 256.62677
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 46.14493
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459849.69790
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 7899.34

    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
2026-04-30 00:00 UT   07 02 30.9   +08 58 35    12.099   11.747   67.3    4.5   102   41.1 
2026-05-01 00:00 UT   07 02 37.5   +08 58 50    12.121   11.754   66.4    4.5   102   41.1 
2026-05-01 17:54 UT   07 02 42.7   +08 59 01    12.137   11.759   65.7    4.5   103   41.1 
2026-05-02 00:00 UT   07 02 44.5   +08 59 04    12.143   11.760   65.5    4.5   103   41.2 
2026-05-03 00:00 UT   07 02 51.7   +08 59 17    12.164   11.767   64.5    4.4   103   41.2 
2026-05-04 00:00 UT   07 02 59.2   +08 59 29    12.186   11.773   63.6    4.4   103   41.2 
2026-05-05 00:00 UT   07 03 06.9   +08 59 40    12.207   11.780   62.7    4.4   104   41.2 
2026-05-06 00:00 UT   07 03 14.9   +08 59 50    12.228   11.786   61.8    4.3   104   41.2 
2026-05-07 00:00 UT   07 03 23.2   +08 59 59    12.250   11.793   60.9    4.3   104   41.2 
2026-05-08 00:00 UT   07 03 31.7   +09 00 06    12.271   11.799   60.0    4.2   104   41.2 
2026-05-09 00:00 UT   07 03 40.5   +09 00 13    12.291   11.806   59.1    4.2   105   41.2 
2026-05-10 00:00 UT   07 03 49.5   +09 00 19    12.312   11.812   58.2    4.2   105   41.2 
2026-05-11 00:00 UT   07 03 58.7   +09 00 23    12.333   11.819   57.3    4.1   105   41.2 

    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.