C/2019 K7 (Smith)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	16 Jun 2020	15.6	4.470 AU	3.799 AU	20h22m	+13°14'	125.8°	10.6°	228°
Nearest approach	15 Jul 2020	15.5	4.477 AU	3.646 AU	19h43m	+18°13'	140.4°	8.3°	181°
Today	14 Jul 2026	21.7	15.470 AU	16.216 AU	10h14m	+48°19'	41.5°	2.5°	64°

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[∆] + 5.4 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)                : 0.9995420
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.4700240
    i (Inclination)                 : 103.46010
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 308.05180
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 27.29000
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 301.20399
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 26.48098
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459016.70870
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 964198.75

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jul 13
    Reference                       : MPC194161

    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
2026-07-13 00:00 UT   10 13 56.3   +48 24 06    16.198   15.462   42.3    2.5    66   21.7 
2026-07-14 00:00 UT   10 14 09.1   +48 21 24    16.210   15.467   41.8    2.5    65   21.7 
2026-07-14 14:42 UT   10 14 17.0   +48 19 45    16.216   15.470   41.5    2.5    64   21.7 
2026-07-15 00:00 UT   10 14 22.1   +48 18 43    16.221   15.472   41.3    2.5    64   21.7 
2026-07-16 00:00 UT   10 14 35.3   +48 16 03    16.232   15.477   40.8    2.5    63   21.7 
2026-07-17 00:00 UT   10 14 48.6   +48 13 25    16.242   15.483   40.4    2.4    62   21.7 
2026-07-18 00:00 UT   10 15 02.1   +48 10 47    16.253   15.488   39.9    2.4    60   21.7 
2026-07-19 00:00 UT   10 15 15.8   +48 08 11    16.263   15.493   39.5    2.4    59   21.7 
2026-07-20 00:00 UT   10 15 29.6   +48 05 37    16.273   15.498   39.1    2.4    58   21.7 
2026-07-21 00:00 UT   10 15 43.6   +48 03 03    16.283   15.503   38.7    2.3    57   21.7 
2026-07-22 00:00 UT   10 15 57.7   +48 00 31    16.293   15.509   38.3    2.3    55   21.7 
2026-07-23 00:00 UT   10 16 12.0   +47 58 00    16.302   15.514   37.9    2.3    54   21.7 
2026-07-24 00:00 UT   10 16 26.4   +47 55 31    16.311   15.519   37.6    2.3    53   21.7 

    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.