C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	6 Jan 2022	9.4	3.562 AU	2.588 AU	07h06m	+31°47'	170.6°	2.6°	174°
Perihelion	10 Jan 2022	9.4	3.561 AU	2.590 AU	07h02m	+31°08'	169.6°	2.9°	150°
Today	19 Jan 2026	17.4	11.713 AU	11.912 AU	13h34m	-59°36'	76.0°	4.7°	287°

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 2.3 + 5 log[∆] + 9.1 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 L3 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0034090
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.5614160
    i (Inclination)                 : 48.34700
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 290.70980
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 171.79610
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 285.23648
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 6.12053
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459589.71520

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jan 18
    Reference                       : MPC185656

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-01-18 00:00 UT   13 34 40.4   -59 32 11    11.918   11.706   75.2    4.7   286   17.4 
2026-01-19 00:00 UT   13 34 46.6   -59 36 09    11.913   11.712   75.9    4.7   286   17.4 
2026-01-19 02:54 UT   13 34 47.3   -59 36 37    11.912   11.713   76.0    4.7   287   17.4 
2026-01-20 00:00 UT   13 34 52.3   -59 40 05    11.907   11.718   76.6    4.7   287   17.4 
2026-01-21 00:00 UT   13 34 57.3   -59 44 01    11.902   11.724   77.2    4.7   288   17.4 
2026-01-22 00:00 UT   13 35 01.6   -59 47 55    11.897   11.730   77.9    4.7   289   17.4 
2026-01-23 00:00 UT   13 35 05.4   -59 51 47    11.891   11.736   78.6    4.7   289   17.4 
2026-01-24 00:00 UT   13 35 08.5   -59 55 38    11.886   11.742   79.2    4.7   290   17.4 
2026-01-25 00:00 UT   13 35 10.9   -59 59 27    11.880   11.748   79.9    4.7   291   17.4 
2026-01-26 00:00 UT   13 35 12.7   -60 03 15    11.874   11.754   80.6    4.7   292   17.4 
2026-01-27 00:00 UT   13 35 13.9   -60 07 01    11.869   11.760   81.2    4.7   292   17.4 
2026-01-28 00:00 UT   13 35 14.5   -60 10 45    11.863   11.766   81.9    4.8   293   17.4 
2026-01-29 00:00 UT   13 35 14.4   -60 14 27    11.857   11.772   82.6    4.8   294   17.4 

    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.