C/2019 K7 (Smith)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	15 Jun 2020	15.6	4.469 AU	3.801 AU	20h23m	+13°12'	125.6°	10.7°	228°
Nearest approach	15 Jul 2020	15.5	4.476 AU	3.646 AU	19h43m	+18°15'	140.4°	8.3°	181°
Today	11 Nov 2026	21.8	16.093 AU	16.105 AU	10h40m	+46°42'	87.5°	3.5°	299°

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)                : 0.9993270
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.4689650
    i (Inclination)                 : 103.45790
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 308.05350
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 27.27210
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 301.21198
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 26.46395
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459016.41150
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 541112.83

    Epoch                           : 2026 Nov 10
    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
2026-11-10 00:00 UT   10 40 36.9   +46 40 00    16.121   16.084   86.0    3.5   300   21.8 
2026-11-11 00:00 UT   10 40 40.6   +46 41 21    16.112   16.089   86.9    3.5   299   21.8 
2026-11-11 17:41 UT   10 40 43.0   +46 42 22    16.105   16.093   87.5    3.5   299   21.8 
2026-11-12 00:00 UT   10 40 43.9   +46 42 44    16.103   16.094   87.7    3.5   299   21.8 
2026-11-13 00:00 UT   10 40 46.9   +46 44 09    16.094   16.099   88.5    3.5   298   21.8 
2026-11-14 00:00 UT   10 40 49.6   +46 45 36    16.085   16.104   89.3    3.5   298   21.8 
2026-11-15 00:00 UT   10 40 51.9   +46 47 04    16.076   16.109   90.2    3.5   297   21.8 
2026-11-16 00:00 UT   10 40 53.9   +46 48 35    16.066   16.114   91.0    3.5   297   21.8 
2026-11-17 00:00 UT   10 40 55.6   +46 50 07    16.057   16.120   91.8    3.5   296   21.8 
2026-11-18 00:00 UT   10 40 56.9   +46 51 41    16.048   16.125   92.7    3.5   295   21.8 
2026-11-19 00:00 UT   10 40 57.9   +46 53 17    16.039   16.130   93.5    3.5   295   21.8 
2026-11-20 00:00 UT   10 40 58.6   +46 54 55    16.030   16.135   94.3    3.5   294   21.8 
2026-11-21 00:00 UT   10 40 58.9   +46 56 34    16.021   16.140   95.2    3.5   294   21.8 

    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.