C/2019 F1 (ATLAS-Africano)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	20 Jun 2021	14.5	3.605 AU	3.067 AU	23h23m	-83°17'	114.2°	14.9°	275°
Nearest approach	21 Jun 2021	14.5	3.605 AU	3.067 AU	23h27m	-83°26'	114.2°	14.9°	275°
Today	26 Sep 2026	20.9	14.277 AU	13.556 AU	02h50m	+26°06'	134.5°	2.9°	243°

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 9.2 + 5 log[∆] + 5.2 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 F1 (ATLAS-Africano) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9996380
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.6049070
    i (Inclination)                 : 54.30510
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 38.67280
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 251.23430
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 98.46012
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -50.26095
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459386.06690
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 993752.52

    Epoch                           : 2026 Sep 25
    Reference                       : MPC194160

    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
2026-09-25 00:00 UT   02 50 49.8   +26 06 29    13.566   14.267  132.8    3.0   244   20.9 
2026-09-26 00:00 UT   02 50 37.0   +26 06 48    13.560   14.273  133.8    2.9   244   20.9 
2026-09-26 16:33 UT   02 50 28.0   +26 06 59    13.556   14.277  134.5    2.9   243   20.9 
2026-09-27 00:00 UT   02 50 23.9   +26 07 04    13.554   14.278  134.8    2.9   243   20.9 
2026-09-28 00:00 UT   02 50 10.7   +26 07 20    13.548   14.284  135.8    2.8   243   20.9 
2026-09-29 00:00 UT   02 49 57.2   +26 07 34    13.542   14.290  136.8    2.8   243   20.9 
2026-09-30 00:00 UT   02 49 43.5   +26 07 46    13.537   14.295  137.8    2.7   242   20.9 
2026-10-01 00:00 UT   02 49 29.6   +26 07 57    13.532   14.301  138.8    2.6   242   20.9 
2026-10-02 00:00 UT   02 49 15.5   +26 08 07    13.527   14.306  139.8    2.6   241   20.9 
2026-10-03 00:00 UT   02 49 01.2   +26 08 15    13.522   14.312  140.8    2.5   241   20.9 
2026-10-04 00:00 UT   02 48 46.7   +26 08 21    13.517   14.317  141.8    2.5   240   20.9 
2026-10-05 00:00 UT   02 48 32.0   +26 08 26    13.513   14.323  142.8    2.4   240   20.9 
2026-10-06 00:00 UT   02 48 17.1   +26 08 30    13.509   14.329  143.8    2.4   239   20.9 

    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.