C/2019 K7 (Smith)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	16 Jun 2020	15.7	4.471 AU	3.797 AU	20h22m	+13°16'	126.1°	10.6°	227°
Nearest approach	16 Jul 2020	15.6	4.478 AU	3.647 AU	19h43m	+18°11'	140.4°	8.3°	180°
Today	16 Mar 2026	21.2	14.842 AU	14.237 AU	10h26m	+53°18'	125.9°	3.1°	156°

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 9.4 + 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 K7 (Smith) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9998030
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.4713110
    i (Inclination)                 : 103.46210
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 308.05010
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 27.31190
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 301.19494
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 26.50188
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459017.04190

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 16
    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
2026-03-15 00:00 UT   10 27 36.4   +53 19 25    14.212   14.832  127.0    3.1   158   21.2 
2026-03-16 00:00 UT   10 27 08.0   +53 18 52    14.225   14.837  126.4    3.1   157   21.2 
2026-03-16 20:20 UT   10 26 44.1   +53 18 22    14.237   14.842  125.9    3.1   156   21.2 
2026-03-17 00:00 UT   10 26 39.8   +53 18 16    14.239   14.843  125.8    3.1   155   21.2 
2026-03-18 00:00 UT   10 26 11.8   +53 17 37    14.253   14.848  125.1    3.1   154   21.3 
2026-03-19 00:00 UT   10 25 44.1   +53 16 53    14.267   14.853  124.5    3.2   153   21.3 
2026-03-20 00:00 UT   10 25 16.6   +53 16 07    14.281   14.859  123.8    3.2   152   21.3 
2026-03-21 00:00 UT   10 24 49.4   +53 15 17    14.295   14.864  123.2    3.2   151   21.3 
2026-03-22 00:00 UT   10 24 22.4   +53 14 23    14.309   14.869  122.5    3.2   150   21.3 
2026-03-23 00:00 UT   10 23 55.8   +53 13 26    14.324   14.874  121.8    3.3   149   21.3 
2026-03-24 00:00 UT   10 23 29.4   +53 12 26    14.339   14.880  121.2    3.3   148   21.3 
2026-03-25 00:00 UT   10 23 03.3   +53 11 22    14.354   14.885  120.5    3.3   147   21.3 
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   10 22 37.5   +53 10 15    14.369   14.890  119.8    3.3   146   21.3 

    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.