C/2019 F2 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	14 Feb 2019	17.6	3.086 AU	2.254 AU	07h21m	+00°12'	141.3°	11.5°	69°
Perihelion	8 Sep 2019	16.9	2.234 AU	3.195 AU	12h03m	+02°30'	14.6°	6.5°	103°
Today	9 Nov 2026	28.9	16.017 AU	15.707 AU	22h11m	-04°12'	106.5°	3.4°	71°

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 10.9 + 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 F2 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.8650540
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.2342910
    i (Inclination)                 : 19.35980
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 175.31510
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 11.60260
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 186.27799
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 3.82286
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458735.24420
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 67.37

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194160

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); Halley type (P < 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-11-08 00:00 UT   22 11 35.4   -04 11 25    15.677   16.012  108.0    3.4    71   28.9 
2026-11-09 00:00 UT   22 11 34.0   -04 12 09    15.698   16.015  107.0    3.4    71   28.9 
2026-11-09 11:06 UT   22 11 33.4   -04 12 29    15.707   16.017  106.5    3.4    71   28.9 
2026-11-10 00:00 UT   22 11 32.8   -04 12 52    15.718   16.019  106.0    3.4    71   28.9 
2026-11-11 00:00 UT   22 11 31.9   -04 13 34    15.738   16.023  105.0    3.4    71   28.9 
2026-11-12 00:00 UT   22 11 31.2   -04 14 14    15.759   16.027  104.0    3.4    71   28.9 
2026-11-13 00:00 UT   22 11 30.7   -04 14 53    15.779   16.030  103.0    3.4    71   28.9 
2026-11-14 00:00 UT   22 11 30.5   -04 15 30    15.800   16.034  102.0    3.5    71   28.9 
2026-11-15 00:00 UT   22 11 30.6   -04 16 06    15.820   16.038  101.0    3.5    70   28.9 
2026-11-16 00:00 UT   22 11 30.9   -04 16 41    15.841   16.042  100.0    3.5    70   29.0 
2026-11-17 00:00 UT   22 11 31.4   -04 17 14    15.862   16.045   98.9    3.5    70   29.0 
2026-11-18 00:00 UT   22 11 32.2   -04 17 46    15.882   16.049   97.9    3.5    70   29.0 
2026-11-19 00:00 UT   22 11 33.2   -04 18 17    15.903   16.053   96.9    3.5    70   29.0 

    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.