C/2019 T3 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	5 Mar 2021	16.6	5.952 AU	6.552 AU	22h50m	+43°01'	49.2°	7.2°	356°
Nearest approach	11 Sep 2021	16.3	6.100 AU	5.373 AU	22h03m	+39°32'	132.7°	7.0°	155°
Today	17 Mar 2026	21.7	13.125 AU	13.708 AU	21h08m	-39°49'	52.4°	3.4°	233°

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 4.8 + 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 T3 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9990510
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 5.9522340
    i (Inclination)                 : 121.88970
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 139.55180
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 112.49190
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 191.46396
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 51.67273
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459278.59830
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 496730.33

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 16
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E43

    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
2026-03-16 00:00 UT   21 08 23.3   -39 47 37    13.717   13.119   51.4    3.4   233   21.7 
2026-03-17 00:00 UT   21 08 38.0   -39 48 58    13.710   13.124   52.2    3.4   233   21.7 
2026-03-17 04:41 UT   21 08 40.8   -39 49 14    13.708   13.125   52.4    3.4   233   21.7 
2026-03-18 00:00 UT   21 08 52.4   -39 50 21    13.702   13.129   53.1    3.5   234   21.7 
2026-03-19 00:00 UT   21 09 06.7   -39 51 46    13.695   13.134   53.9    3.5   234   21.7 
2026-03-20 00:00 UT   21 09 20.7   -39 53 14    13.688   13.139   54.8    3.6   235   21.7 
2026-03-21 00:00 UT   21 09 34.4   -39 54 44    13.680   13.144   55.6    3.6   235   21.7 
2026-03-22 00:00 UT   21 09 48.0   -39 56 15    13.672   13.149   56.5    3.6   236   21.7 
2026-03-23 00:00 UT   21 10 01.2   -39 57 49    13.664   13.154   57.4    3.7   236   21.7 
2026-03-24 00:00 UT   21 10 14.3   -39 59 25    13.656   13.159   58.2    3.7   237   21.7 
2026-03-25 00:00 UT   21 10 27.1   -40 01 04    13.648   13.164   59.1    3.7   237   21.7 
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   21 10 39.6   -40 02 44    13.639   13.169   60.0    3.8   237   21.7 
2026-03-27 00:00 UT   21 10 51.8   -40 04 26    13.631   13.174   60.8    3.8   238   21.7 

    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.