C/2019 Y1 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	15 Mar 2020	8.1	0.838 AU	1.475 AU	00h04m	+30°32'	32.9°	40.2°	10°
Nearest approach	2 May 2020	9.8	1.208 AU	1.106 AU	05h48m	+82°42'	69.5°	51.4°	49°
Today	24 Jan 2025	31.2	15.226 AU	15.358 AU	14h05m	-43°51'	80.4°	3.7°	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.)

The orbital elements of C/2019 Y1 (ATLAS) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9963515
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.8378025
            i (Inclination)                 : 73.35343
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 31.36531
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 57.49437
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 55.57237
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 53.90044
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458924.05444
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 3479.69

            Epoch                           : 2020 Dec 17
            Reference                       : MPEC 2020-SI8

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years); Liller
        

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC. The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (13.70 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 8.38 + 5 log[∆] + 14.30 log[r]).

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.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.

The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.

A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Ephemerides:

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-01-24 00:00 UT   14 05 38.2   -43 51 02    15.361   15.223   80.1    3.7   287   31.2 
2025-01-24 08:47 UT   14 05 38.0   -43 51 53    15.358   15.226   80.4    3.7   287   31.2 
2025-01-25 00:00 UT   14 05 37.5   -43 53 21    15.352   15.229   81.0    3.7   288   31.2 
2025-01-26 00:00 UT   14 05 36.5   -43 55 39    15.343   15.235   81.9    3.7   288   31.2 
2025-01-27 00:00 UT   14 05 35.1   -43 57 56    15.334   15.241   82.7    3.7   289   31.2 
2025-01-28 00:00 UT   14 05 33.4   -44 00 12    15.325   15.247   83.6    3.7   289   31.2 
2025-01-29 00:00 UT   14 05 31.3   -44 02 26    15.316   15.253   84.5    3.7   290   31.2 
2025-01-30 00:00 UT   14 05 28.9   -44 04 40    15.306   15.259   85.4    3.7   290   31.2 
2025-01-31 00:00 UT   14 05 26.1   -44 06 52    15.297   15.265   86.3    3.7   291   31.2 
2025-02-01 00:00 UT   14 05 22.9   -44 09 02    15.288   15.271   87.1    3.7   291   31.2 
2025-02-02 00:00 UT   14 05 19.3   -44 11 11    15.279   15.277   88.0    3.7   292   31.2 
2025-02-03 00:00 UT   14 05 15.4   -44 13 19    15.270   15.283   88.9    3.7   292   31.2 

    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.