C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	6 Jan 2022	9.4	3.561 AU	2.587 AU	07h06m	+31°48'	170.6°	2.6°	174°
Perihelion	10 Jan 2022	9.4	3.560 AU	2.589 AU	07h02m	+31°09'	169.6°	2.9°	150°
Today	7 Nov 2025	17.2	11.275 AU	11.975 AU	13h06m	-54°49'	43.3°	3.5°	217°

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[∆] + 9.0 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 L3 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0033280
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.5603770
    i (Inclination)                 : 48.34680
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 290.71070
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 171.78080
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 285.22708
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 6.13189
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459589.69560

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 06
    Reference                       : MPC185656

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-11-06 00:00 UT   13 05 28.0   -54 45 53    11.970   11.269   43.3    3.5   216   17.2 
2025-11-07 00:00 UT   13 06 03.8   -54 49 07    11.975   11.275   43.3    3.5   217   17.2 
2025-11-07 00:33 UT   13 06 04.6   -54 49 11    11.975   11.275   43.3    3.5   217   17.2 
2025-11-08 00:00 UT   13 06 39.4   -54 52 23    11.980   11.281   43.4    3.5   218   17.2 
2025-11-09 00:00 UT   13 07 14.9   -54 55 41    11.985   11.287   43.5    3.5   219   17.2 
2025-11-10 00:00 UT   13 07 50.1   -54 59 00    11.989   11.293   43.6    3.5   221   17.2 
2025-11-11 00:00 UT   13 08 25.2   -55 02 22    11.994   11.299   43.7    3.5   222   17.2 
2025-11-12 00:00 UT   13 09 00.0   -55 05 46    11.998   11.305   43.8    3.5   223   17.2 
2025-11-13 00:00 UT   13 09 34.7   -55 09 12    12.002   11.311   44.0    3.5   224   17.2 
2025-11-14 00:00 UT   13 10 09.1   -55 12 39    12.006   11.317   44.1    3.5   226   17.2 
2025-11-15 00:00 UT   13 10 43.3   -55 16 09    12.010   11.323   44.3    3.5   227   17.2 
2025-11-16 00:00 UT   13 11 17.3   -55 19 40    12.013   11.329   44.5    3.5   228   17.3 
2025-11-17 00:00 UT   13 11 51.1   -55 23 12    12.017   11.335   44.7    3.5   229   17.3 

    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.