C/2019 M3 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	16 Dec 2018	13.8	2.428 AU	2.428 AU	17h24m	+54°54'	78.3°	23.4°	357°
Perihelion	1 Jan 2019	13.8	2.422 AU	2.465 AU	18h41m	+52°53'	75.9°	23.2°	359°
Today	10 Oct 2026	27.4	19.917 AU	19.515 AU	23h19m	-57°35'	112.3°	2.7°	28°

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 8.0 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 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 M3 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9996000
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.4216960
    i (Inclination)                 : 99.70280
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 155.10540
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 87.92020
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 77.26519
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 80.07889
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458484.63720
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 471074.34

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194162

    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
2026-10-09 00:00 UT   23 20 18.1   -57 35 39    19.488   19.907  113.4    2.6    26   27.4 
2026-10-10 00:00 UT   23 20 00.6   -57 35 26    19.503   19.912  112.8    2.6    27   27.4 
2026-10-10 19:53 UT   23 19 46.2   -57 35 13    19.515   19.917  112.3    2.7    28   27.4 
2026-10-11 00:00 UT   23 19 43.2   -57 35 10    19.518   19.918  112.2    2.7    28   27.4 
2026-10-12 00:00 UT   23 19 26.1   -57 34 52    19.533   19.923  111.6    2.7    29   27.4 
2026-10-13 00:00 UT   23 19 09.2   -57 34 31    19.548   19.928  111.0    2.7    30   27.4 
2026-10-14 00:00 UT   23 18 52.4   -57 34 07    19.563   19.933  110.4    2.7    31   27.4 
2026-10-15 00:00 UT   23 18 36.0   -57 33 40    19.578   19.938  109.7    2.7    32   27.4 
2026-10-16 00:00 UT   23 18 19.7   -57 33 11    19.594   19.943  109.1    2.7    33   27.4 
2026-10-17 00:00 UT   23 18 03.7   -57 32 39    19.609   19.948  108.5    2.7    34   27.4 
2026-10-18 00:00 UT   23 17 47.9   -57 32 05    19.625   19.953  107.8    2.7    34   27.4 
2026-10-19 00:00 UT   23 17 32.3   -57 31 28    19.641   19.958  107.2    2.7    35   27.4 
2026-10-20 00:00 UT   23 17 17.0   -57 30 49    19.657   19.963  106.5    2.7    36   27.4 

    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.