C/2018 A3 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	8 Jan 2019	15.4	3.298 AU	2.626 AU	09h08m	+74°29'	125.7°	14.0°	212°
Nearest approach	9 Jan 2019	15.4	3.298 AU	2.626 AU	09h03m	+74°41'	125.7°	14.0°	210°
Today	19 Mar 2026	27.1	18.083 AU	18.981 AU	23h43m	-25°25'	24.8°	1.3°	186°

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 8.1 + 5 log[∆] + 10.1 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/2018 A3 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9906260
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.2979310
    i (Inclination)                 : 139.64260
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 194.39520
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 86.58880
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 108.86791
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 40.27119
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458492.03510
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 6598.95

    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
2026-03-18 00:00 UT   23 43 09.3   -25 26 09    18.979   18.077   24.3    1.3   184   27.1 
2026-03-19 00:00 UT   23 43 21.1   -25 25 26    18.981   18.083   24.7    1.3   186   27.1 
2026-03-19 02:04 UT   23 43 22.1   -25 25 23    18.981   18.083   24.8    1.3   186   27.1 
2026-03-20 00:00 UT   23 43 32.8   -25 24 45    18.983   18.088   25.2    1.3   188   27.1 
2026-03-21 00:00 UT   23 43 44.5   -25 24 05    18.984   18.093   25.7    1.4   189   27.1 
2026-03-22 00:00 UT   23 43 56.2   -25 23 27    18.986   18.098   26.2    1.4   191   27.1 
2026-03-23 00:00 UT   23 44 07.8   -25 22 49    18.987   18.103   26.8    1.4   193   27.1 
2026-03-24 00:00 UT   23 44 19.5   -25 22 13    18.987   18.108   27.3    1.4   195   27.1 
2026-03-25 00:00 UT   23 44 31.1   -25 21 39    18.988   18.113   27.9    1.5   196   27.1 
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   23 44 42.6   -25 21 06    18.988   18.118   28.5    1.5   198   27.1 
2026-03-27 00:00 UT   23 44 54.2   -25 20 34    18.988   18.123   29.1    1.5   199   27.1 
2026-03-28 00:00 UT   23 45 05.6   -25 20 04    18.987   18.128   29.8    1.6   201   27.1 
2026-03-29 00:00 UT   23 45 17.1   -25 19 35    18.987   18.133   30.4    1.6   202   27.1 

    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.