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	27 Jul 2024	30.6	14.127 AU	14.063 AU	13h27m	-40°01'	91.5°	4.1°	114°

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
2024-07-27 00:00 UT   13 26 59.8   -40 01 47    14.061   14.126   91.6    4.1   114   30.6 
2024-07-27 02:33 UT   13 27 00.2   -40 01 38    14.063   14.127   91.5    4.1   114   30.6 
2024-07-28 00:00 UT   13 27 04.0   -40 00 24    14.082   14.132   90.8    4.1   114   30.6 
2024-07-29 00:00 UT   13 27 08.5   -39 59 02    14.103   14.139   89.9    4.1   115   30.6 
2024-07-30 00:00 UT   13 27 13.4   -39 57 42    14.124   14.145   89.1    4.1   115   30.6 
2024-07-31 00:00 UT   13 27 18.5   -39 56 24    14.145   14.151   88.3    4.1   116   30.6 
2024-08-01 00:00 UT   13 27 24.0   -39 55 08    14.166   14.157   87.4    4.1   116   30.6 
2024-08-02 00:00 UT   13 27 29.8   -39 53 54    14.187   14.163   86.6    4.1   117   30.6 
2024-08-03 00:00 UT   13 27 35.8   -39 52 43    14.208   14.169   85.8    4.1   117   30.6 
2024-08-04 00:00 UT   13 27 42.2   -39 51 33    14.229   14.176   84.9    4.1   118   30.6 
2024-08-05 00:00 UT   13 27 48.9   -39 50 25    14.250   14.182   84.1    4.1   118   30.6 
2024-08-06 00:00 UT   13 27 55.9   -39 49 20    14.270   14.188   83.3    4.1   118   30.6 

    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.