C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	6 Jan 2022	9.4	3.562 AU	2.589 AU	07h06m	+31°46'	170.6°	2.6°	174°
Perihelion	10 Jan 2022	9.4	3.562 AU	2.591 AU	07h02m	+31°07'	169.6°	2.9°	150°
Today	25 Mar 2026	17.3	12.097 AU	11.596 AU	13h19m	-62°19'	118.1°	4.2°	342°

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 2.5 + 5 log[∆] + 8.7 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)                : 1.0034800
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.5623440
    i (Inclination)                 : 48.34720
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 290.70880
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 171.80940
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 285.24445
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 6.11066
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459589.73130

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 21
    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
2026-03-24 00:00 UT   13 20 12.5   -62 19 05    11.598   12.091  117.5    4.2   340   17.3 
2026-03-25 00:00 UT   13 19 42.9   -62 19 30    11.596   12.097  118.0    4.2   342   17.3 
2026-03-25 00:09 UT   13 19 42.7   -62 19 31    11.596   12.097  118.1    4.2   342   17.3 
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   13 19 13.1   -62 19 51    11.594   12.103  118.6    4.2   343   17.3 
2026-03-27 00:00 UT   13 18 43.1   -62 20 07    11.592   12.109  119.1    4.1   344   17.3 
2026-03-28 00:00 UT   13 18 12.9   -62 20 19    11.590   12.115  119.6    4.1   345   17.3 
2026-03-29 00:00 UT   13 17 42.5   -62 20 25    11.589   12.121  120.1    4.1   346   17.3 
2026-03-30 00:00 UT   13 17 12.0   -62 20 27    11.587   12.127  120.6    4.1   347   17.3 
2026-03-31 00:00 UT   13 16 41.3   -62 20 23    11.586   12.133  121.1    4.0   348   17.3 
2026-04-01 00:00 UT   13 16 10.4   -62 20 15    11.585   12.138  121.6    4.0   349   17.3 
2026-04-02 00:00 UT   13 15 39.5   -62 20 02    11.584   12.144  122.1    4.0   351   17.3 
2026-04-03 00:00 UT   13 15 08.4   -62 19 45    11.583   12.150  122.5    4.0   352   17.3 
2026-04-04 00:00 UT   13 14 37.3   -62 19 22    11.582   12.156  123.0    4.0   353   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.