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 above the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Right now it is placed in the East direction at an altitude of 26.69° above the horizon.
- 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 |
Orbit Visualization
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 Apr 11 | 06h 29m 21s | +14° 06’ 14” | 15.59 | Gemini |
| 2025 Apr 12 | 06h 29m 51s | +14° 10’ 51” | 15.59 | Gemini |
| 2025 Apr 13 | 06h 30m 23s | +14° 15’ 24” | 15.59 | Gemini |
| 2025 Apr 14 | 06h 30m 55s | +14° 19’ 55” | 15.60 | Gemini |
| 2025 Apr 15 | 06h 31m 27s | +14° 24’ 24” | 15.60 | Gemini |
| 2025 Apr 16 | 06h 32m 00s | +14° 28’ 49” | 15.61 | Gemini |
| 2025 Apr 17 | 06h 32m 34s | +14° 33’ 13” | 15.61 | Gemini |
| 2025 Apr 18 | 06h 33m 08s | +14° 37’ 34” | 15.61 | Gemini |
| 2025 Apr 19 | 06h 33m 43s | +14° 41’ 52” | 15.62 | Gemini |
| 2025 Apr 20 | 06h 34m 18s | +14° 46’ 07” | 15.62 | Gemini |
| 2025 Apr 21 | 06h 34m 54s | +14° 50’ 21” | 15.63 | Gemini |
| 2025 Apr 22 | 06h 35m 30s | +14° 54’ 31” | 15.63 | Gemini |
| 2025 Apr 23 | 06h 36m 07s | +14° 58’ 39” | 15.63 | Gemini |
| 2025 Apr 24 | 06h 36m 44s | +15° 02’ 44” | 15.64 | Gemini |
Additional Resources
- Position and finder charts (see also Where is Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS)?)
- Distance from Earth (see also How far is Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) from Earth?)
- When does Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) rise and set?
- Brightness (see also How bright is Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS)?)
- Orbital elements. Detailed information about Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) orbital parameters.
- Interactive orbit visualization. 3d visualization showing the orbit of Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) with respect to the major Solar System objects.
- 15 days ephemerides. Table showing celestial coordinates and magnitude of Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) for the past and next 7 days.
- Interactive sky chart. An online planetarium application that shows where to locate Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) in the sky from your location.
- Live position tracker. A high precision sky chart that uses real deep sky imagery to help locate Comet C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS) with your telescope or on your astrophotographies.