C/2017 M4 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	17 Jan 2019	14.0	3.232 AU	3.954 AU	17h20m	-13°09'	37.7°	10.7°	287°
Nearest approach	13 May 2019	13.3	3.417 AU	2.466 AU	16h00m	-40°11'	156.6°	6.7°	336°
Today	12 Mar 2026	26.4	18.181 AU	18.105 AU	05h53m	-35°39'	92.8°	3.1°	84°

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 4.8 + 5 log[∆] + 12.1 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/2017 M4 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9999260
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.2316390
    i (Inclination)                 : 105.64060
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 65.98400
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 167.34700
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 69.44761
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 12.17715
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458500.86040

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 12
    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
2026-03-11 00:00 UT   05 53 27.4   -35 45 22    18.079   18.172   93.8    3.1    82   26.4 
2026-03-12 00:00 UT   05 53 24.2   -35 42 10    18.093   18.177   93.2    3.1    83   26.4 
2026-03-12 19:34 UT   05 53 21.7   -35 39 33    18.105   18.181   92.8    3.1    84   26.4 
2026-03-13 00:00 UT   05 53 21.2   -35 38 58    18.107   18.182   92.7    3.1    84   26.4 
2026-03-14 00:00 UT   05 53 18.5   -35 35 45    18.121   18.187   92.2    3.1    85   26.4 
2026-03-15 00:00 UT   05 53 16.1   -35 32 33    18.135   18.193   91.7    3.1    86   26.4 
2026-03-16 00:00 UT   05 53 14.0   -35 29 21    18.149   18.198   91.2    3.1    87   26.4 
2026-03-17 00:00 UT   05 53 12.1   -35 26 09    18.164   18.203   90.7    3.1    88   26.4 
2026-03-18 00:00 UT   05 53 10.6   -35 22 57    18.178   18.208   90.1    3.1    88   26.4 
2026-03-19 00:00 UT   05 53 09.3   -35 19 45    18.192   18.213   89.6    3.1    89   26.4 
2026-03-20 00:00 UT   05 53 08.3   -35 16 33    18.206   18.218   89.1    3.1    90   26.4 
2026-03-21 00:00 UT   05 53 07.6   -35 13 22    18.220   18.224   88.6    3.1    91   26.4 
2026-03-22 00:00 UT   05 53 07.2   -35 10 11    18.235   18.229   88.1    3.1    92   26.4 

    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.