C/2020 K8 (Catalina-ATLAS) |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Nearest approach | 15 Aug 2020 | 14.9 | 0.870 AU | 0.573 AU | 05h31m | +27°15' | 59.0° | 86.5° | 270° |
Perihelion | 15 Sep 2020 | 15.5 | 0.472 AU | 1.090 AU | 09h52m | -00°46' | 25.6° | 67.2° | 262° |
Today | 3 Jul 2025 | 25.5 | 15.546 AU | 14.912 AU | 15h54m | +08°26' | 127.0° | 3.0° | 127° |
C/2020 K8 (Catalina-ATLAS)- 2025-07-03
astro.vanbuitenen.nl
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/2020 K8 (Catalina-ATLAS) are:
e (Eccentricity) : 1.0003180
q (Perihelion distance) : 0.4715120
i (Inclination) : 31.38150
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 181.30210
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 260.16040
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 259.81816
B (Latitude of perihelion) : -30.86881
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2459108.20230
Epoch : 2025 Jul 02
Reference : MPEC 2021-P47
Classification(s): : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)
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 (15.00 + 5 log[∆] + 8.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 16.24 + 5 log[∆] + 2.88 log[r]). The additional green curve shows the effect of forward scattering, occurring when the comet is between the earth and the sun, for a gas-to-dust light ratio δ90 of 0.30. (See Marcus 2007)
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
2025-07-03 00:00 UT 15 54 15.4 +08 26 35 14.908 15.544 127.2 3.0 127 25.5
2025-07-03 05:20 UT 15 54 13.0 +08 26 25 14.912 15.546 127.0 3.0 127 25.5
2025-07-04 00:00 UT 15 54 04.9 +08 25 52 14.925 15.551 126.4 3.0 127 25.5
2025-07-05 00:00 UT 15 53 54.7 +08 25 07 14.942 15.557 125.6 3.0 126 25.5
2025-07-06 00:00 UT 15 53 44.6 +08 24 21 14.960 15.563 124.8 3.1 125 25.6
2025-07-07 00:00 UT 15 53 34.8 +08 23 33 14.977 15.569 124.0 3.1 125 25.6
2025-07-08 00:00 UT 15 53 25.1 +08 22 44 14.995 15.575 123.2 3.1 124 25.6
2025-07-09 00:00 UT 15 53 15.7 +08 21 52 15.013 15.581 122.3 3.2 123 25.6
2025-07-10 00:00 UT 15 53 06.5 +08 20 59 15.031 15.587 121.5 3.2 123 25.6
2025-07-11 00:00 UT 15 52 57.5 +08 20 04 15.049 15.593 120.7 3.2 122 25.6
2025-07-12 00:00 UT 15 52 48.7 +08 19 08 15.067 15.599 119.9 3.2 121 25.6
2025-07-13 00:00 UT 15 52 40.1 +08 18 10 15.086 15.605 119.1 3.3 121 25.6
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.