C/2019 E3 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	15 Nov 2023	16.8	10.313 AU	10.372 AU	04h09m	-77°24'	83.9°	5.5°	349°
Nearest approach	25 Aug 2024	16.8	10.424 AU	10.069 AU	02h50m	-67°49'	107.9°	5.3°	286°
Today	9 Mar 2026	17.5	11.247 AU	11.959 AU	00h18m	-44°53'	42.5°	3.4°	157°

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 1.6 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 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/2019 E3 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9984720
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 10.3133830
    i (Inclination)                 : 84.32710
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 347.18040
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 280.72580
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 319.62233
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -77.88193
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460264.32490
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 554519.33

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 08
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E43

    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
2026-03-08 00:00 UT   00 18 26.6   -44 58 45    11.957   11.244   42.4    3.4   155   17.5 
2026-03-09 00:00 UT   00 18 46.5   -44 54 33    11.958   11.246   42.5    3.4   156   17.5 
2026-03-09 05:41 UT   00 18 51.2   -44 53 34    11.959   11.247   42.5    3.4   157   17.5 
2026-03-10 00:00 UT   00 19 06.5   -44 50 24    11.960   11.248   42.5    3.4   158   17.5 
2026-03-11 00:00 UT   00 19 26.5   -44 46 18    11.961   11.250   42.6    3.4   159   17.5 
2026-03-12 00:00 UT   00 19 46.7   -44 42 14    11.961   11.252   42.8    3.4   160   17.5 
2026-03-13 00:00 UT   00 20 06.8   -44 38 14    11.962   11.254   42.9    3.4   162   17.5 
2026-03-14 00:00 UT   00 20 27.1   -44 34 17    11.963   11.257   43.0    3.5   163   17.5 
2026-03-15 00:00 UT   00 20 47.4   -44 30 24    11.963   11.259   43.2    3.5   164   17.5 
2026-03-16 00:00 UT   00 21 07.7   -44 26 33    11.963   11.261   43.4    3.5   166   17.5 
2026-03-17 00:00 UT   00 21 28.1   -44 22 46    11.963   11.263   43.5    3.5   167   17.5 
2026-03-18 00:00 UT   00 21 48.5   -44 19 01    11.963   11.265   43.7    3.5   168   17.5 
2026-03-19 00:00 UT   00 22 09.0   -44 15 21    11.962   11.267   44.0    3.5   169   17.5 

    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.