Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS)
Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) is in the constellation of
Gemini,
at a distance of
Finder Charts
View interactive star map
High precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS)?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) in the sky and additional links to sky charts.
Celestial Coordinates
Apparent
J2000
Additional Information
The observed values of Magnitude, Coma Diameter and Tail Length are derived from the most recent observation recorded at the Comet Observers Database. The value of Predicted Magnitude comes from the JPL Horizons ephemerides service and, in the case of comets, might be inaccurate given the highly dynamic and unpredictable behavior of these objects. When available, please refer to the Observed Magnitude value and consider the Predicted Magnitude as a directional indication. We acknowledge with thanks the comet observations from the COBS Comet Observation Database contributed by observers worldwide and used in this table to report recent comet observations.
Rise and Set Times
Today's rise, transit and set times of Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) is below the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Given its current magnitude, C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) is visible only through long exposure photography.
- Go to interactive sky chart
If you need to access this information frequently for your observations, you can create a simple customized Quick Access page, so that you can easily bookmark it in your browser favorites or add a shortcut to your mobile phones' home screen.
Distance from Earth
The distance of Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) from Earth as a function of time. In the chart the distance data is measured in Astronomical Units and sampled with an interval of 1 day.
The value of the reported distance might be somewhat inaccurate around the times of closest approach for objects passing extremely close to Earth. The value of the distance of C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Closest Approach
Between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2099, the closest approach of Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) to Earth happens on Wed Jan 28 2026 at a distance of 4.602841 Astronomical Units, or 688,575,154 kilometers:
NOTE: values for the closest approach are computed with a sampling interval of 1 day.
Light Curve
The following chart is the predicted light curve (visual magnitude as a function of time) of Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS), according to the most recent ephemerides data. Magnitude data is sampled with a 2 days interval and there might be inaccuracies for objects changing brightness very rapidly during the course of a few days. For comets there could be large discrepancies between the observed and predicted brightness because of their highly dynamic behaviour.
Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) at epoch 21 April 2024 00:00 UTC (JD: 2460422.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 1.00401456 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 36.55151227° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 5.47968589 AU 819,749,343 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q | n.a. |
| Semi-major axis | a | n.a. |
| Orbital period | period | n.a. |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2025-Sep-10 05:53:10 2,460,928.7453 JD |
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 0.38506385736114° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 119.93863481° |
| Mean anomaly | M | -0.0098943791873907° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.00001954°/day |
View Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) in the 3D Solar System Simulator
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) computed for the past and next 7 days, with a 24 hours interval. Apparent celestial coordinates are provided.
| Date | Right AscensionR.A. | DeclinationDec. | MagnitudeMag | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 May 24 | 06h 58m 44s | +16° 44’ 45” | 15.73 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 25 | 06h 59m 33s | +16° 47’ 28” | 15.73 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 26 | 07h 00m 23s | +16° 50’ 08” | 15.73 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 27 | 07h 01m 13s | +16° 52’ 46” | 15.73 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 28 | 07h 02m 04s | +16° 55’ 22” | 15.74 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 29 | 07h 02m 54s | +16° 57’ 55” | 15.74 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 30 | 07h 03m 45s | +17° 00’ 25” | 15.74 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 31 | 07h 04m 37s | +17° 02’ 53” | 15.74 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 01 | 07h 05m 28s | +17° 05’ 18” | 15.75 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 02 | 07h 06m 20s | +17° 07’ 40” | 15.75 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 03 | 07h 07m 12s | +17° 10’ 02” | 15.75 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 04 | 07h 08m 04s | +17° 12’ 19” | 15.75 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 05 | 07h 08m 57s | +17° 14’ 34” | 15.75 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 06 | 07h 09m 49s | +17° 16’ 47” | 15.75 | Gemini |
Additional Resources on TheSkyLive
- Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS): Complete reference information on TheSkyLive.com.
- Where is Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS)?: Key information on locating Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) in the sky.
- Distance from Earth: Find out how far Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) is from Earth right now.
- How Bright is Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS)?: Current visual brightness (magnitude) and apparent size.
- Rise and Set Times: Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS)'s rise and set times from your location.
- Interactive Sky Map: planetarium-style interactive visualization of Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS)'s position in the sky.
- Live Position Tracker: high precision position tracker with deep space imagery.
- Ephemeris: 15 days Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS)'s computed ephemeris.
- Orbital elements: information about Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) orbital parameters.
- Orbit Visualization. 3d interactive visualization showing the orbit of Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) with respect to the major Solar System objects.