BAA Comet Section : Comets discovered in 2022
Updated 2024 June 4
When observing a comet please try to forget how bright you think the comet
should be, what it was when you last viewed it, what other observers think
it is or what the ephemeris says it should be.
The equations for the light curves of comets that are currently visible
use only the raw observations and should give a reasonable prediction for
the current brightness. If the comet has not yet been observed or has
gone from view a correction for aperture is included, so that telescopic
observers should expect the comet to be fainter than given by the equation.
The correction is about 0.033 per centimetre. Values for the r parameter
given in square brackets [ ] are assumed. The form of the light curve is
either the standard m = H0 + 5 log d + K0 log r or the linear brightening
m = H0 + 5 log d + L0 abs(t - T + D0) where T is the date of perihelion,
t the present and D0 an offset, if L0 is +ve the comet brightens towards
perihelion and if D0 is +ve the comet is brightest prior to perihelion.
Observations of new comets in 2022 are given in ICQ format.
Full details of recently discovered objects will not appear until they are
available on the CBAT web pages. The actual accuracy of preliminary orbits is often
(nearly always) much worse than the published
accuracy implies. In part this is because
each orbital solution is treated as a mathematical construct and does not take account of observational
error. JPL does publish the errors,
whereas the MPECs do not.
2022 A1 (Sarneczky)
Krisztian Sarneczky discovered a fast moving 18th magnitude comet at the Piszkesteto Observatory,
Hungary in images taken with the 0.60-m Schmidt telescope on Jan. 2.11. It was posted on the
PCCP as Sar2585 and soon confirmed by other astrometrists. [MPEC 2022-A59, CBET 5090, 2022 January 7]
The comet is at perihelion in late January at 1.3 au and was discovered as it passed 0.3 au from Earth.
2022 A2 (PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 20th magnitude comet in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
January 10.62. It was placed on the PCCP as P21q8AG. There were prediscovery images with the same telescope
from the day before.
[CBET 5093, MPEC 2022-C01, 2022 February 1] The comet is at perihelion at 1.7 au in 2023 February.
Somewhat surprisingly, Rob Matson spotted it in SWAN images from December 7 to
10, suggesting that it might be brightening more rapidly than expected.
2022 A3 (Lemmon-ATLAS)
The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered a 19th magnitude object
in images taken with the 0.5m Schmidt at Mauna Loa on March 1.42. It was posted on the PCCP as A10GhLU.
Martin Tichy and other astrometrists reported signs of cometary activity. It was then linked to isolated tracklets
reported from Mt Lemmon from January 10.43 into February, which the CBET says "should have been linked".
Even earlier prediscovery Mt Lemmon images were then found from 2021 April and December.
[MPEC 2022-E107, CBET 5106, 2022 March 7]. The comet is at perihelion at 3.7 au in 2023 September, but
is not expected to get brighter than 16th magnitude.
2022 AA7 [A/PanSTARRS]
PanSTARRS 2 discovered an asteroid in images taken with the 1.8-m Ritchey-Chretien on
2022 January 7.23. It was placed on the PCCP as P21pW3D. [MPEC 2022-A185, 2022 January 14, though it remained
on the PCCP until January 26] The object, classified by JPL as a Centaur,
was at perihelion at 2.3 au in 2021 November and is in a retrograde orbit with a period of around 40 years.
2022 AB8 [A/PanSTARRS]
PanSTARRS 2 discovered an asteroid in images taken with the 1.8-m Ritchey-Chretien on
2022 January 8.28. The object, classified by the MPC as a distant object,
was at perihelion at 1.7 au in 2022 May and is in a highly inclined orbit with a period of around 700 years.
2022 AC8 [A/PanSTARRS]
PanSTARRS 2 discovered an asteroid in images taken with the 1.8-m Ritchey-Chretien on
2022 January 8.48. It was placed on the PCCP as P21q4ky. [MPEC 2022-B36, 2022 January 25] The object, classified by JPL as a Centaur,
was at perihelion at 2.6 au in 2021 October and is in a retrograde orbit with a period of around 50 years.
2022 AZ9 [A/DECam]
A 21st magnitude object discovered with the DECam on the Cerro Tololo 4 m reflector was posted on the PCCP as IgJg1lf.
[MPEC 2022-B91, 2022 January 28] It is classified by JPL as a Trans-Neptunian Object and has a period of around 400 years with perihelion
at 4.9 au in 2022 January.
2022 B1 (P/Wierzchos)
Kacper W Wierzchos discovered a comet of 20th magnitude in images taken with the 1.5-m
reflector of the Mt Lemmon Survey on 2022 January 25.21.
It was placed on the PCCP as C72JAA2. There were pre-discovery PanSTARRS images from 2021 October and November.
[MPEC 2022-C02, CBET 5094, 2022 February 1]. The comet is at perihelion at 1.9 au in 2022 February and has
a period of around 13 years. The comet will pass 0.5 au from Jupiter in 2046 February in an encounter that
will increase the perihelion distance.
2022 B2 (441P/PanSTARRS)
The MPC identified a 21st magnitude object found in incidental astrometry from Mt Lemmon on January 25.51 and PanSTARRS 2
on February 10.50 as being a return of 2017 R1.
[CBET 5100, MPEC 2022-D03, 2022 February 16] The comet is at perihelion at 3.3 au in 2025 September and has a period
of 8.4 years.
A/2022 B3 (A/Bok)
A 22nd magnitude object was discovered on January 31.38 with the 2.25m Bok reflector at Kitt Peak. It was posted on the
PCCP as C09AWF5. No cometary activity has been detected, however it is on a cometary type orbit. [MPEC 2022-D24, 2022 February 21]
The object was at perihelion in 2022 January at 3.7 au and is in a retrograde nearly parabolic orbit.
2022 B4 (Bok)
A 21st magnitude object was discovered on January 29.46 with the 2.25m Bok reflector at Kitt Peak during an NEO survey that is a
collaboration between the Catalina Sky Survey and the University of Minnesota. It was posted on the
PCCP as C0996E5. PanSTARRS reported cometary activity in images taken on February 2. There were Mt Lemmon detections from
shortly before the discovery observation. [MPEC 2022-D33, CBET 5103, 2022 February 22/23] There will almost certainly be
a correction to the CBET as there are several typos, not least describing the nearly parabolic orbit of 2022 B3 as being "short-period".
At discovery the comet was very close to perihelion at 1.4 au and is in a nearly parabolic orbit.
2022 B5 (P/Sheppard-Jewitt)
In October 2022 Michael Kelley reported that 2003 CC22 showed a tail in ZTF images taken on September 27. Sam Dean
then noted that images since at least 2018 showed considerable variation in brightness.
Despite this report, the MPC decided to designate it as 2022 B5 based on images taken at Santa Maria de Montmagastrell on
2022 January 28.80. The MPEC also reports that archival ZTF images show cometary activity back to 2022 February. They do not report
any of the 2018 observations mentioned by Sam Dean. [MPEC 2022-V36, CBET 5186, 2022 November 2] The comet passed 0.12 au from Saturn
in 1938 January and 0.50 au from Jupiter in 1947 June, with more distant passes from Saturn in 1997 September and Jupiter in 2002 September.
2022 BG4 [A/PanSTARRS]
PanSTARRS 2 discovered an asteroid in images taken with the 1.8-m Ritchey-Chretien on
2022 January 20.2. It was placed on the PCCP as P21qgXL. [MPEC 2022-B123, 2022 January 30] The object, classified by JPL as an Amor asteroid,
was at perihelion at 1.1 au in 2021 December and is in an orbit with a period of around 30 years, which has a Jupiter MOID of 0.05 au.
2022 BV9 (P/Lemmon)
An apparently asteroidal object of 21st magnitude was found by the Mt Lemmon Survey in images taken with the 1.5-m
reflector on 2022 January 30.13. There were pre-discovery ZTF observations from 2021 February 6, 7, 8 and 11, but it has not been
found on earlier images. It is classed as a Main-belt asteroid with a period of 9.1 years and was at perihelion at 3.3 au in
2020 October.
It has made a couple of recent approaches of 0.5 au to Jupiter in 2010 August
and 2016 January, the second of which reduced the perihelion distance from 4.5
au to its preset value. Discussion on the comets-ml at the beginning of 2023 April suggested that it was an outburst comet that had
been active for a couple of years. The object was subsequently redesignated as a comet. [MPEC 2023-H240,
CBET 5251, 2023 April 29]
2022 BF15 [A/PanSTARRS]
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 22nd magnitude asteroid in images taken with the 1.8-m Ritchey-Chretien on
2022 January 28.58. It was placed on the PCCP as P21qyBk. [MPEC 2022-C184, 2022 February 9].
The object, unusually just classified by JPL as an asteroid,
was at perihelion at 2.6 au in 2021 September and is in a retrograde orbit with a period of around 11 years. It
has a Jupiter MOID of 0.5 au.
2022 C1 (P/PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 21st magnitude comet in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
February 3.33. It was placed on the PCCP as P21qVgV. There were prediscovery images with PanSTARRS 1 and 2
in 2021 November, PanSTARRS 2 and Mt Lemmon in January and Mt Lemmon on February 1.
[CBET 5096, MPEC 2022-C74, 2022 February 5] The comet was at perihelion at 4.0 au in 2021 November and has a period
of around 19 years.
2022 C2 (P/PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 21st magnitude object in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
February 2.55. Follow up observations with the CFHT showed cometary features. It was placed on the PCCP as P21qSws
and confirmed by additional observers.
[CBET 5098, MPEC 2022-D01, 2022 February 16] The comet is at perihelion at 3.4 au in 2022 July and has a period
of around 15 years.
2022 C3 (P/PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 21st magnitude comet in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
February 9.62. It was placed on the PCCP as P21rh0L and confirmed by other observers. There were
prediscovery PanSTARRS 2 observations from January and earlier in February.
[CBET 5099, MPEC 2022-D02, 2022 February 16] The comet is at perihelion at 4.4 au in 2022 July and has a period
of around 30 years.
2022 C4 (444P/WISE-PanSTARRS)
The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) spacecraft discovered an apparently asteroidal object on 2010
June 9.12, and it was given the designation 2010 LK36. It was then found with the Near-Earth
Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE; a rename of WISE) on 2016 June 16.86, but not identified
with the two-day 2010 arc at that time and was given the new minor-planet designation 2016 MD. Finally
PanSTARRS 1 discovered an asteroid in images taken with the 1.8-m Ritchey-Chretien on
2016 August 16.58, which was designated 2016 PM1 and linked to the previously discovered objects. Earlier
observations were subsequently found in Sloan Digital Sky Survey images obtained at Apache Point on 2003 April 26.26.
The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team noted cometary features
in images taken with the 0.5 m Schmidt at Mauna Loa on 2022 June 8.35, however it had been observed by PanSTARRS on
2022 February 7.54, so it was given the designation 2022 C4. [CBET 5137, MPEC 2022-M81, 2022 June 27]. The comet
passed 0.13 au from Jupiter in 2013 July. The logic for the naming of the comet is not entirely clear.
2022 D1 (P/PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 21st magnitude comet in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
February 24.55. It was placed on the PCCP as P21ry3P. There were prediscovery images with PanSTARRS 2
in 2022 January and February.
[MPEC 2022-E06, CBET 5104, 2022 March 1] The comet was at perihelion at 3.4 au in 2021 August and has a period
of around 20 years. It may have passed around 0.1 au from Jupiter in 1982
October.
2022 D2 (Kowalski)
Richard Kowalski discovered a comet of 20th magnitude in images taken with the 1.5-m
reflector of the Mt Lemmon Survey on 2022 February 25.12.
It was placed on the PCCP as C79T1G2. There were pre-discovery Mt Lemmon images from February 14.
[MPEC 2022-E46, E47, CBET 5105, 2022 March 3]. Unusually there are two MPECs announcing the discovery, with
the first omitting the observations. There may well be a third, as when the observations were published, they did
not indicate the discovery observation. The comet is at perihelion at 1.6 au in 2022 March and is in a long period
orbit.
2022 E1 (443P/PanSTARRS-Christensen)
Eric Christensen discovered a comet of 21st magnitude in images taken with the 1.5-m
reflector of the Mt Lemmon Survey on 2022 March 2.45.
It was placed on the PCCP as C72DD5T2.
[MPEC 2022-E167, CBET 5107, 2022 March 10/11]. The comet is at perihelion at 3.0 au in 2022 October and has
a period of around 8 years. The orbit was uncertain. As more observations accumulated Syuichi Nakano was able to
improve the orbit and link isolated observations made in 2005 and 2006 by Mt Lemmon and 2006 by Spacewatch to
the comet. He then asked Richard Weyrk to check PanSTARRS observations for the comet. Weyrk pointed out that
observations of 2015 PO210 appeared to be of the comet , and that there were also isolated observations by
PanSTARRS 1 and Mt Lemmon in 2014. The comet was therefore renamed from P/Christensen to P/PanSTARRS-Christensen.
The comet passed 0.5 au from Jupiter in 1978. [MPEC 2022-H49, CBET 5117, 2022 April 25]
2022 E2 (ATLAS)
The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered a 19th magnitude object
in images taken with the 0.5 m Schmidt at Rio Hurtado, Chile on March 7.12. It was posted on the PCCP as A10GvIZ.
Nirmal Paul and other astrometrists reported signs of cometary activity. There were pre-discovery ATLAS images
from February 23.
[MPEC 2022-E227, CBET 5109, 2022 March 15]. The comet is at perihelion at 3.7 au in 2024 September. The
comet might reach 13th magnitude around the time of perihelion, when it will be
at high northern declination.
2022 E3 (ZTF)
The Zwicky Transient Facility reported observations of a 17th magnitude object
made on March 2.54 with the 1.2m Oschin Schmidt. This was placed on the PCCP as
ZTF0Nf7 and reported to show cometary features by other astrometrists. [MPEC
2022-F13, CBET 5111, 2022 March 21]. The comet is at perihelion at 1.1 au in
2023 January and will pass 0.3 au from the Earth in 2023 February. It crosses
the orbital plane on January 23 and the ecliptic plane on February 12. It should reach
around 5th magnitude at the time of perihelion and will be well placed for
viewing from the UK Hua Su noted it in SWAN images from December 7 to 9.
I was able to observe it for the first time on the morning of January 6, when it
was 6.9 in 20x80B with a well condensed coma.
2022 F1 (ATLAS)
The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered a 19th magnitude
comet
in images taken with the 0.5 m Schmidt at Rio Hurtado, Chile on March 30.30. It was posted on the PCCP as A10H11F.
[MPEC 2022-G82, CBET 5112, 2022 April 6]. The comet is at perihelion at 5.9 au in 2022
September.
2022 F2 (NEOWISE)
An approximately 17th magnitude comet was discovered from the NEOWISE satellite
on March 30.72. It was posted on the PCCP as N00jurv.
[CBET 5113, MPEC 2022-G83, 2022 April 6] It was at perihelion at 1.6 au in 2022 March and has a period of around 150 years.
2022 G1 (442P/McNaught)
Hirohisa Sato recovered 2011 Q3 at 20th magnitude in images taken with the 0.51-m f/6.8 iTelescope astrograph at Siding Spring
on April 5.79, with confirming images taken with the same telescope five days later.
[MPEC 2022-H01, CBET 5115, 2022 April 16/19]. The comet is at perihelion at
2.3 au in August. Following the recovery Syuichi Nakano was able to link
isolated observations made in 2000 by Spacewatch to the comet. He notes
that the comet passed 0.75 au from Jupiter in 1990 and 0.53 au in 2002, in
encounters that made changes mostly to the angular elements.
2022 G2 (446P/McNaught)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a new object on June 28.58, which the MPEC automatically identified as a return of 2012 O3.
Hirohisa Sato was then able to find the comet in images taken with the 0.51-m f/6.8 iTelescope astrograph at Siding Spring
on April 10.80. PanSTARRS checked their images and confirmed that they did show cometary activity.
[MPEC 2022-N81, CBET 5150, 2022 July 12]. The comet was at perihelion at 1.6 au in May. It is not clear why
the MPEC did not designate the comet as 2022 M2 (or M1) as would be expected from the discovery date.
A/2022 GK11 [PanSTARRS]
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 21st magnitude object in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
April 11.41. It was placed on the PCCP as P21tpxG. There were prediscovery images with the same telescope
on March 14, 16 and 21.
[MPEC 2022-J70, 2022 May 9] The object is classed by JPL as a Centaur and is at perihelion at 4.4 au in 2024 March. It
has a slightly retrograde orbit with a period of 110 years.
2022 H1 (PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 21st magnitude comet in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
April 21.36. It was placed on the PCCP as P21tuE9. There were prediscovery images with the same telescope
from March 2 [The MPEC says February, but this is clearly a typo].
[MPEC 2022-J76, CBET 5120, 2022 May 10] The comet is at perihelion at 7.7 au in 2024 January.
A/2022 HB5 [PanSTARRS]
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 21st magnitude object in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
April 23.32. It was placed on the PCCP as P21tv3r. There were prediscovery images with the same telescope
on March 11.
[MPEC 2022-J71, 2022 May 9] The object is classed by JPL as a TNO and is at perihelion at 3.5 au in 2022 August. It
has a retrograde orbit with a period of 220 years.
2022 J1 (Maury-Attard)
Alain Maury and Georges Attard discovered a comet, of 17th magnitude, in
images taken with the 0.28 m Schmidt of the MAP Observatory, San Pedro de
Atacama, Chile (W94) on 2022 May 5.38. It was placed on the PCCP as
2E42N21. Following posting on the PCCP it was independently discovered by NEOWISE.
[MPEC 2022-J88, CBET 5121, 2022 May 11]. The comet was at perihelion at 1.6 au in 2022 February and has a retrograde orbit with
a period of around 120 years.
The MAP observatory is named for the initial letters of the last names of the amateur astronomers Alain Maury, Georges Attard and
Daniel Parrot who own and run the observatory, which is
dedicated to finding new asteroids and comets. This is their fourth
comet and is eligilbe for the Edgar Wilson award.
2022 J2 (Bok)
A 22nd magnitude object was discovered on May 9.19 with the 2.25m Bok reflector at Kitt Peak. It was posted on the
PCCP as C0CF585. No cometary activity was detected, however it was on a cometary type orbit. [MPEC 2022-K80, 2022 May 24]
The object is at perihelion in 2022 October at 1.8 au and is in a retrograde nearly parabolic orbit. Cometary activity was
noted in follow up observations with the CFHT on May 24 and June 23 (though the text of the MPEC says June 6).
The revised CBETs have additional astrometry from June 26.
[MPEC 2022-M98, CBET 5140, 5141, 5143 2022 June 29]
2022 JK5 (PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 21st magnitude object in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
May 9.43. The object was initially classed by the MPC as a Distant Object and was at perihelion at 2.7 au in 2023 April. It
has a period of nearly 300 years. It was identified as a possible comet by ATLAS in 2023 April and given a PCCP
designation of A10Ur87. A couple of weeks later this was confirmed by the MPC. [MPEC 2023-H180, CBET 5246, 2023 April 25/26].
2022 K1 (Leonard)
Gregory Leonard discovered a comet of 20th magnitude in images taken with the 1.5-m
reflector of the Mt Lemmon Survey on 2022 May 30.41.
It was placed on the PCCP as C7WTRX2.
[MPEC 2022-L53, CBET 5127, 2022 June 7]. The comet was at perihelion at 4.0 au in 2021 December and is in a long period orbit.
A/2022 KJ2 [PanSTARRS]
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 22nd magnitude object in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
May 23.40. It was placed on the PCCP as P21v81T. Prediscovery PanSTARRS images back to 2017 February and Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope
images from 2016 March were quickly found.
[MPEC 2022-K92, 2022 May 25] The object is classed by JPL as a Centaur and is at perihelion at 8.1 au in 2024 July. It
has a low inclination orbit with a period of nearly 80 years.
2022 L1 (Catalina)
An object of 19th magnitude was discovered in Catalina Sky Survey images taken with the 0.68m Schmidt on June 4.43.
Nirmal Paul noted a coma and tail in follow-up images taken on June 8 at the Skygems Namibia Remote Observatory and it was
placed on the PCCP as C34LWA1. There were pre-discovery Catalina images from May 31.
[MPEC 2021-L97, CBET 5134, 2022 June 13].
The comet is at perihelion at 1.6 au in September.
2022 L2 (ATLAS)
The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered an 18th magnitude comet
in images taken with the 0.5 m Schmidt at Mauna Loa on June 10.48. It was posted on the PCCP as A10HVHh.
[MPEC 2022-M18, CBET 5136, 2022 June 20]. The comet is at perihelion at 2.8 au in 2024 March.
Although currently classed as a hyperbolic comet by the MPC and JPL, the uncertainty of measurement
(only given on the JPL Horizons site) suggests that parabolic is more than
likely and the CBET give a parabolic orbit.
2022 L3 (P/ATLAS)
The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered a 17th magnitude comet
in images taken with the 0.5 m Schmidt at Mauna Loa on June 12.57. It was posted on the PCCP as A10HY7d.
[MPEC 2022-M96, M97, CBET 5138, 2022 June 29]. The comet is at perihelion at 2.4 au in 2022 October and has
a period of around 17 years.
The first MPEC gave a highly implausable orbit for the comet and was replaced within an hour of publication.
2022 L4 (PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 21st magnitude NEOCP candidate in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
June 4.40. It was placed on the PCCP as P21uArX. PanSTARRS then used the CFHT to show cometary activity.
[MPEC 2022-M194, CBET 5143, 2022 June 30] The comet was at perihelion at 3.0 au in 2021 December and is in a
long period orbit.
2022 L5 (445P/Lemmon-PanSTARRS)
An object appeared on the PCCP as 2F61M11 on 2022 June 7.65 and was then linked to 2014 R5. Following the
recovery additional tracklets from 1998 and 2006 were identified. The comet is at perihelion at 2.4 au in
2022 August and has a period of 8.2 years. [MPEC 2022-N51, CBET 5149, 2022 July 8]
2022 M1 (P/LONEOS-PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 21st magnitude comet in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
June 29.57. It was placed on the PCCP as P21v4t0. PanSTARRS then identified asteroidal images of the comet
in MPC "isolated tracklet files" from May 31 (Mt Lemmon) and June 15 (DECam).
[MPEC 2022-N46, CBET 5146, 2022 July 8] The comet is at perihelion at 2.1 au in 2022 August and has a
period of around 11 years. It passed 0.5 au from Jupiter in 2013 October. The Jupiter MOID is 0.46 au.
Following the discovery, Syuichi Nakano was able to link an asteroid
discovered by LONEOS on 2000 July 29.36 and designated 2000 OZ21, but only
observed over a five day arc, with the comet. [CBET 5166, 2022 September
3] The MPC didn't catch up with this until much later [MPEC 2023-J103,
2023 May 12]
2022 N1 (Attard-Maury)
Alain Maury and Georges Attard discovered a comet, of 18th magnitude, in
images taken with the 0.28 m Schmidt of the MAP Observatory, San Pedro de
Atacama, Chile (W94) on 2022 July 2.32. It was placed on the PCCP as
2G12K21. Following posting on the PCCP pre-discovery PanSTARRS images from June 29 were found.
[MPEC 2022-N47, CBET 5147, 2022 July 8]. The comet is at perihelion at 1.5 au in 2022 September and has a retrograde orbit with
a possible period of around 150 years, although a parabolic orbit is also possible.
This is their fifth
comet and it is eligilbe for the Edgar Wilson award.
2022 N2 (PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 21st magnitude comet in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
July 4.45. It was placed on the PCCP as P21v7Yx. PanSTARRS then found pre-discovery images of the comet
taken on June 2, 7 and 10.
[MPEC 2022-N48, CBET 5148, 2022 July 8] The comet is at perihelion at 3.8 au in 2025 July.
2022 O1 (ATLAS)
The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered a 19th magnitude comet
in images taken with the 0.5 m Schmidt at Sutherland, South Africa on July 26.13. It was also found in images
taken with the ATLAS Schmidt at Rio Hurtado, Chile on July 29.25, though by then the initial discovery had
been confirmed. It was posted on the PCCP as A10IfLQ.
[MPEC 2022-Q02, CBET 5157, 2022 August 16]. The comet was at perihelion at 7.4 au in 2022
March.
2022 O2 (P/PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 20th magnitude comet in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
August 17.27. It was placed on the PCCP as P21w2tE. PanSTARRS then found pre-discovery images of the comet
taken on July 21 and August 1, which had been submitted to the MPC Isolated Tracklet File (ITF). Further pre-discovery
images from June 9, July 5 and 23 were then found. Despite being discovered on August 17, the MPC chose to designate
the comet based on the ITF observations from July 21, which were clearly not the discovery. This sets a poor
precedent.
[MPEC 2022-Q25, CBET 5160, 2022 August 19] The comet is at perihelion at 1.8 au in 2023 January and has a period
of around 16 years.
A/2022 OC21 [PanSTARRS]
PanSTARRS 2 discovered an object in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
July 29.5. It was placed on the PCCP as P21vBHf. The object is classed by JPL as a TNO and by the MPC as a Centaur.
It is at perihelion at 3.3 au in 2022 September. It
has a high inclination orbit with a period of around 500 years.
A/2022 OF60 [Observatorio Campo dos Amarais]
This object was discovered on July 22.3 and placed on the PCCP as OCA1315, where it remained until 2023 January 8, when it was designated.
It was at perihelion at 1.4 au in 2022 July and has a retrograde orbit with a
period of 9 years. It is a Mars crosser and can approach the red planet to
0.02 au. As usual the MPC give a very precise orbit with no error bars
based on a 15 day arc.
2022 P1 (NEOWISE)
An approximately 18th magnitude comet was discovered from the NEOWISE satellite
on August 8.35. It was posted on the PCCP as N00khti.
[MPEC 2022-Q03, CBET 5157, 2022 August 16] It is at perihelion at 1.6 au in 2022 November and has a period of around 60 years
and is in a retrograde orbit. Michael Mattiazo imaged it significantly
brightter than expected on August 31, estimating it at 12.5. It could
brighten a further magnitude, but is moving south and will become a southern
hemisphere object.
2022 P2 (P/ZTF)
The Zwicky Transient Facility discovered an 18th magnitude comet on August 15.50 with the
1.2m Oschin Schmidt. This was placed on the PCCP as ZTFt001 and confirmed by other
astrometrists.
[MPEC 2022-Q201, CBET 5165, 2022 August 31]. The comet was at perihelion at 2.0 au in 2022 July and has a period of
around 8 years or is possibly in a parabolic orbit.
2022 P3 (ZTF)
The Zwicky Transient Facility discovered a 19th magnitude comet on August 2.49 with the
1.2m Oschin Schmidt. This was placed on the PCCP as ZTm0002 and confirmed by other
astrometrists.
[MPEC 2022-R132, CBET 5169, 2022 September 8]. The comet was at perihelion at 2.6 au in 2022 July.
2022 Q1 (448P/PanSTARRS)
Erwin Schwab recovered comet 2015 X1 at 21st magnitude and essentially stellar, in images taken with the 0.8-m f/3 Schmidt reflector at Calar Alto, Spain,
on August 23.09. Additional confirming observations were made on August 24. Following recovery,
Syuichi Nakano was able to link MPC ITF positions from 2008 October 1.38 and 2008
December 31 taken by
the Catalina Sky Survey to the comet.
[MPEC 2022-Q153, CBET 5164, 2022 August 28]. The comet is at perihelion at 2.1 au in September and has a period of 6.9 years. The comet
passed 0.6 au from Jupiter in 2005 January; the orbit has a Jupiter MOID of
0.54 au.
2022 Q2 (ATLAS)
The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered a 19th magnitude object
in images taken with the 0.5 m Schmidt at Mauna Loa on August 27.59. It was posted on the NEOCP as A10JbMT. Follow
up observations by Andrea Aletti and Luca Buzzi showed a coma and tail, which were confirmed by other astrometrists.
[MPEC 2022-R123, CBET 5167, 2022 September 7]. The comet is at perihelion at 1.6 au in 2023 February and has a period
of around 150 years. Unfortunately it is a poor return and the comet is unlikely to get much brighter than 17th
magnitude.
2022 Q3 (P/LONEOS)
Charles Schambeau recovered comet 2004 A1 at 25th magnitude in images taken with the 8.1 m Gemini North telescope at Maunakea
on August 21.52. Additional confirming observations were made on August 23.
[MPEC 2022-T106, CBET 5178, 2022 October 8]. The comet is at perihelion at 5.5 au in 2027 January and has a period of 22.5 years.
The elements by Syuuchi Nakano show that the comet passed 0.031 au from Saturn on 1992 July 30 in an encounter that reduced the
perihelion distance from 9.8 au and the period from 43 years. The previous perihelion had been in 1951 October. The comet will
approach Jupiter to 0.5 au in 2026 July, with a further small reduction in perihelion distance and period.
2022 QE78 (ATLAS)
The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered a 19th
magnitude object in images taken with the 0.5 m Schmidt at Mauna Loa on August
27.32, which was given an asteroidal designation on MPEC 2022-R154 [2022
September 12]. Sam Dean suggested that it might be a comet on October 17 on the comets mailing list.
He pointed out that it was not detected in archival observations, suggesting that it was brightening faster than
an asteroid would.
Follow-up observations by Hirohisa Sato on October 20 showed a coma, which was confirmed by
PanSTARRS observations dating back to September 7.
[MPEC 2022-U218, CBET 5182, 2022 October 24]. The comet is at perihelion at 5.4 au in 2025 September.
2022 R1 (P/PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 21st magnitude comet in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
September 1.35. It was placed on the PCCP as P21xdOO. PanSTARRS then found pre-discovery images of the comet
taken on June 23, July 20, 27 (PanSTARRS 2) and August 19 (PanSTARRS 1).
[MPEC 2022-R124, CBET 5168, 2022 September 7] The comet is at perihelion at 3.6 au in 2023 October and has a period
of around 19 years. It may have passed 0.004 au from Saturn in 2011 July,
when it was captured into its present orbit.
2022 R2 (ATLAS)
The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered a 17th magnitude comet
in images taken with the 0.5 m Schmidt at Mauna Loa on September 14.60. It was posted on the NEOCP as A10JLcz and confirmed
by other astrometrists.
[MPEC 2022-S87, CBET 5171, 2022 September 20]. The comet is at perihelion at 0.6 au in 2022 October and has a period
of around 200 years. Unfortunately it is a poor return and the comet is unlikely to get much brighter than 15th
magnitude. It was however reported as being visible in SWAN imagery in mid
October, which suggests that it might well be brighter than this.
2022 R3 (Leonard)
Gregory Leonard discovered a comet of 20th magnitude in images taken with the 1.5-m
reflector of the Mt Lemmon Survey on 2022 September 15.36.
It was placed on the PCCP as C7YL772.
[MPEC 2022-S250, CBET 5172, 2022 September 26]. The comet is at perihelion at 5.1 au in 2023 February and is in a long period orbit.
2022 R4 (P/PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 1 discovered a 21st magnitude comet in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
September 2.57. It was placed on the PCCP as P11xtbT.
[MPEC 2022-T87, CBET 5174, 2022 October 6] The comet was at perihelion at 2.0 au in 2022 July and has a period
of around 7.5 years. It may have passed 0.5 au from Jupiter in 1957.
2022 R5 (P/PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 21st magnitude comet in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
September 8.60. It was placed on the PCCP as P21xDaC.
[MPEC 2022-T88, CBET 5175, 2022 October 6] The comet was at perihelion at 2.5 au in 2022 May and has a period
of around 5.4 years.
2022 R6 (PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 20th magnitude asteroid in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
September 14.57. Follow up observations with the CFHT showed cometary features and it was placed on the PCCP as P21xJmM.
[MPEC 2022-V01, CBET 5184, 2022 November 1] The comet is at perihelion at 6.6 au in 2025 August and has a preliminary
hyperbolic orbit.
2022 R7 (P/PanSTARRS)
Comet 2017 S9 was recovered at 22nd magnitude in PanSTARRS images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
September 2.37. There were earlier PanSTARRS 2 images from August 6. Once recovered, even earlier PanSTARRS images
from 2011 August (earliest on August 21.56) and September were found. The prediction based on the 2017
observations required a correction of Delta(T) = -0.69 day.
[MPEC 2022-Y14, CBET 5200, 2022 December 17] The comet is at perihelion at 2.2 au in 2023 February and has a period
of 5.6 years.
2022 RT3 [A/PanSTARRS]
PanSTARRS 1 discovered an asteroid in images taken with the 1.8-m Ritchey-Chretien on
2022 September 1.35. It was placed on the PCCP as P11xtbT. [MPEC 2022-R130, 2022 September 7] The object, classified by JPL as a Centaur asteroid,
was at perihelion at 4.4 au in 2023 November and is in an orbit with a period of around 35 years, which has a Jupiter MOID of 0.41 au.
2022 S1 (P/PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 1 discovered a 21st magnitude comet in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
September 23.60. It was placed on the PCCP as P21yC5W.
[MPEC 2022-T89, CBET 5176, 2022 October 6] The comet was at perihelion at 3.2 au in 2022 August and has a period
of around 16 years. It may have passed 0.2 au from Jupiter in 1991 July.
2022 S2 (P/Christensen)
Erwin Schwab recovered comet 2007 A2 at 21st magnitude and essentially stellar, in images taken with the 0.8-m f/3 Schmidt reflector at Calar Alto, Spain,
on September 27.17. Additional confirming observations were made on October 1.
[MPEC 2022-T107, CBET 5177, 2022 October 8]. The comet is at perihelion at 2.8 au in November and has a period of 15.9 years.
2022 S3 (PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 1 discovered a 21st magnitude comet in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
September 25.26. It was placed on the PCCP as P11yJsS. There were pre-discovery PanSTARRS 1 observations
on September 19.
[MPEC 2022-T122, CBET 5179, 2022 October 12] The comet was at perihelion at 0.8 au in 2023 January.
The discovery observations suggest that it is intrinsically faint. It should
have been a southern
hemisphere object of 16th magnitude at perihelion, however the last reported
astrometric observation was on 2022 October 25. There are suggestions that
it disintegrated.
2022 S4 (Lemmon)
An apparently asteroidal object of 21st magnitude was found by the Mt Lemmon Survey in images taken with the 1.5-m
reflector on 2022 September 19.49. It was placed on the PCCP as C819FC2 after cometary characteristics were noted
by astrometrists. There were pre-discovery PanSTARRS 2 images from 2022 August 26.
[MPEC 2022-U170, CBET 5181, 2022 October 22]. The comet is at perihelion at 2.8 au in 2024 July. It will be at
high southern declination at perihelion, when it may be 14th magnitude.
2022 S5 (PanSTARRS)
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 20th magnitude asteroid in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
September 24.50. Follow up observations with the CFHT showed cometary features and it was placed on the PCCP as P21yGva.
There were prediscovery PanSTARRS 1 observations from August 12.57 and from the Cataline Sky Survey on September 18.
[MPEC 2022-V02, CBET 5185, 2022 November 1] The comet is at perihelion at 2.2 au in 2022 November and has a period of
around 100 years.
2022 T1 (Lemmon)
An apparently asteroidal object of 21st magnitude was found by the Mt Lemmon Survey in images taken with the 1.5-m
reflector on 2022 October 29.50. It was placed on the PCCP as C8AJ8L2, but so far no cometary features have been
detected. There were pre-discovery Mt Lemmon images from 2022 October 3.50 and these were used by the MPC to give the designation.
[MPEC 2022-W160, 2022 November 24]. The object is at perihelion at 3.4 au in 2024 February and
is in a parabolic orbit. It is currently over 5 au from the Sun, so may develop a coma as it approaches
more closely. Taras Prystavski reported cometary activity in images taken in the first half of January
to the comet-ml on 2023 February 1.
MPEC 2023-C52 and CBET 5218 [2023 February 9] redesignated the object as a
comet.
2022 U1 (Leonard)
Gregory Leonard discovered a comet of 20th magnitude in images taken with the 1.5-m
reflector of the Mt Lemmon Survey on 2022 October 20.34. It was placed on the PCCP as C870012.
Pre-discovery Mt Lemmon images from September 23.45 and images
taken by G. Borisov from MARGO, Nauchnij on October 19 were subsequently found.
[MPEC 2022-U343, CBET 5183, 2022 October 29]. The comet is at perihelion at 4.2 au in 2024 March.
2022 U2 (ATLAS)
The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered a 19th magnitude object
in images taken with the 0.5 m Schmidt at Mauna Loa on October 25.21. It was posted on the NEOCP as A10Pbxz and
other astrometrists reported cometary features.
[MPEC 2022-V66, CBET 5187, 2022 November 2]. The comet is at perihelion at 1.3 au in 2023 January and has a period
of around 1000 years. Unfortunately it is a poor return of an intrinsically faint comet and it is
unlikely to get much brighter than 16th magnitude unless the absolute magnitude
is wrong. There are some indications that this is the case and it may
reach around 12th magnitude.
2022 U3 (Bok)
The Bok NEO survey with the Kitt Peak 2.25 m reflector discovered a 20th magnitude comet on October 31.26. There were
prediscovery observations back to 2021 June 23 by PanSTARRS (2021 June, October, November, 2022 January, July) and
Mt Lemmon (2022 September, October). It was placed on the PCCP as C0DUGL5.
[MPEC 2022-V83, CBET 5188, 2022 November 4]. The comet is at perihelion at 4.8 au in 2024 July and is
currently in a
hyperbolic orbit, although came into the inner solar system on a parabolic orbit.
2022 U4 (Bok)
The Bok NEO survey with the Kitt Peak 2.25 m reflector discovered a 20th magnitude object on October 26.48. Follow-up
observations with the Steward Observatory 1-m reflector at Mt Lemmon suggested cometary activity and this was confirmed
by other astrometrists. It was placed on the PCCP as C0D8V25.
There were
prediscovery observations in 2022 January, February and March by PanSTARRS.
[MPEC 2022-W158, CBET 5194, followed 10 minutes later by 5195 correcting the designation, 2022 November 24].
The comet is at perihelion at 2.9 au in 2023 August.
2022 U5 (P/PanSTARRS) = 2013 W3
PanSTARRS 2 discovered a 21st magnitude asteroid in images taken with the 1.8 m Ritchey-Chretien on
September 24.50. Follow up observations with the CFHT showed cometary features and it was placed on the PCCP as P21AXhm.
PanSTARRS then found prediscovery PanSTARRS 1 observations showing it as apparently asteroidal made between
2013 November 25 and 2014 January 6 (with a nominal discovery date of 2013 November 27.58), and PanSTARRS observations
from 2021 August to 2022 September. There were also DECam observations from 2021 September and from the Mt Lemmon Survey on 2022 October 20.44.
[MPEC 2022-W234, CBET 5197, 2022 November 28] The comet was at perihelion at 2.7 au in 2022 July and has a period of
8.6 years.
2022 U6 (485P/Sheppard-Tholen) = 2006 AH2
In 2024 April the MPC reported that David Tholen had reported a possible comet in images taken with the 8.2 m Subbaru telescope
at Mauna Kea on 2022 October 28.46. They identified this as a return of the minor planet 2006 AH2, which had been discovered by
the Mt Lemmon Survey on 2006 January 2.37. [MPEC 2024-H65, CBET 53xx, 2024 April 23] The comet has a period of 17.9 years and
was at perihelion at 4.0 au in 2023 August.
2022 V1 (P/WISE-Lemmon)
An apparently asteroidal object of 19th magnitude was found by the Mt Lemmon Survey in images taken with the 1.5-m
reflector on 2022 November 1.33 It was placed on the PCCP as C8AXVA2 after cometary characteristics were noted
by Hirohisa Sato and confirmed by other astrometrists. There were pre-discovery Mt Lemmon images from 2022 October 7.
Subsequently Nakano was able to link the comet with an asteroid discovered by WISE
on 2010 January 28.89 and designated as
2010 BN109. [MPEC 2022-W148, CBET 5193, 2022 November 23]. The comet is at perihelion at 2.3 au in 2023 March and
has a period of 12.7 years.
2022 V2 (Lemmon)
An apparently asteroidal object of 21st magnitude was found by the Mt Lemmon Survey in images taken with the 1.5-m
reflector on 2022 November 2.06. It was placed on the PCCP as C8AY5Y2 and languished there until 2023 May. Cometary
features were reported in February and May.
There were pre-discovery PanSTARRS images from 2022 July 20 and September 2.
[MPEC 2023-K121, 2023 May 24]. It is at perihelion at 2.1 au in 2023 November and is in a long period orbit.
2022 W1 (P/Rankin)
David Rankin discovered a comet of 20th magnitude in images taken with the 1.5m
reflector of the Mt Lemmon Survey on 2022 November 18.26.
It was placed on the PCCP as C8F6HT2. There were pre-discovery Mt Lemmon observations from September and October.
[MPEC 2022-W159, CBET 5196, 2022 November 24]. The comet was at perihelion at 3.4 au in 2022 September and has
a period of around 18 years. The comet passed 0.07 au from Saturn in 1954.
2022 W2 (ATLAS)
The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered a 19th magnitude comet
in images taken with the 0.5 m Schmidt at Haleakala on November 24.24. It was posted on the NEOCP as A10R1Zt and confirmed
by other astrometrists. There were prediscovery ZTF images from November 5, 16 and 23.
[MPEC 2023-A28, CBET 5203, 2023 January 10]. The comet is at perihelion at 3.1 au in 2023 March and is in a long period
orbit..
2022 W3 (Leonard)
Gregory Leonard discovered a comet of 20th magnitude in images taken with the 1.5-m
reflector of the Mt Lemmon Survey on 2022 November 26.48.
It was placed on the PCCP as C8H2792. There were pre-discovery PanSTARRS images from November 13.
[MPEC 2023-A29, CBET 5204, 2023 January 10]. The comet is at perihelion at 1.3 au in 2023 June and is in a long period orbit.
The MPC magnitude formula suggests that the comet will reach 14th magnitude in July and August, though could be
brighter to visual observers.
2022 Y1 (Hogan)
Joshua Hogan discovered a comet of 20th magnitude in images taken with the 1.5-m
reflector of the Mt Lemmon Survey on 2022 December 17.44 (according to the MPEC).
It was placed on the PCCP as C8PZ3E2 as being discovered on December 24.34, which is the date given in the CBET.
There were pre-discovery Mt Lemmon images from November 5 and 28.
[MPEC 2023-A37, CBET 5205, 2023 January 12]. The comet was at perihelion at 3.0 au in 2022 November and has a period of about 45 years.
2022 Y2 (Lemmon)
An apparently asteroidal object of 20th magnitude was found by the Mt Lemmon Survey in images taken with the 1.5-m
reflector on 2022 December 24.47. It was placed on the PCCP as C8Q7YP2 after cometary characteristics were noted
during follow up observations. [MPEC 2023-B225, CBET 5211, 2023 January 31]. The comet is at perihelion at 2.5 au in 2023 March and
is in a retrograde orbit with a period of around 90 years.
Ephemerides of current comets are available on the CBAT
ephemeris page and positions of newly discovered comets are on the
NEO confirmation page.
More information on LINEAR. A list of comets
discovered by selected search programs.
The Northumberland refractor
is the telescope that was used in the search for Neptune.
It now has a 0.30-m f20 doublet lens which used to give a stellar limiting magnitude of around
15 at the zenith on good nights.
The Thorrowgood refractor was
built in 1864 and has a 0.20-m f14 doublet lens.
Published by Jonathan Shanklin. Jon Shanklin - jds@ast.cam.ac.uk