C/2020 K8 (Catalina-ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	15 Aug 2020	14.9	0.869 AU	0.575 AU	05h31m	+27°19'	59.0°	86.5°	270°
Perihelion	15 Sep 2020	15.5	0.471 AU	1.090 AU	09h52m	-00°44'	25.6°	67.1°	262°
Today	15 Jan 2025	25.5	14.499 AU	14.984 AU	16h12m	+04°59'	58.8°	3.3°	298°

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)                : 1.0002920
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.4709880
            i (Inclination)                 : 31.40430
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 181.37690
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 260.08090
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 259.79811
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -30.88287
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459108.06980

            Epoch                           : 2025 Jan 14
            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[∆] + 2.90 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
2025-01-15 00:00 UT   16 12 39.6   +04 59 01    14.986   14.498   58.6    3.3   299   25.5 
2025-01-15 06:16 UT   16 12 42.4   +04 59 17    14.984   14.499   58.8    3.3   298   25.5 
2025-01-16 00:00 UT   16 12 50.5   +05 00 01    14.979   14.504   59.4    3.3   298   25.5 
2025-01-17 00:00 UT   16 13 01.3   +05 01 02    14.972   14.510   60.3    3.4   297   25.5 
2025-01-18 00:00 UT   16 13 11.8   +05 02 06    14.965   14.517   61.1    3.4   297   25.5 
2025-01-19 00:00 UT   16 13 22.2   +05 03 11    14.958   14.523   62.0    3.4   296   25.5 
2025-01-20 00:00 UT   16 13 32.3   +05 04 17    14.951   14.529   62.8    3.5   296   25.5 
2025-01-21 00:00 UT   16 13 42.2   +05 05 25    14.944   14.536   63.7    3.5   295   25.5 
2025-01-22 00:00 UT   16 13 51.9   +05 06 35    14.937   14.542   64.6    3.5   295   25.5 
2025-01-23 00:00 UT   16 14 01.4   +05 07 47    14.929   14.548   65.4    3.5   294   25.5 
2025-01-24 00:00 UT   16 14 10.7   +05 09 00    14.922   14.554   66.3    3.6   294   25.5 
2025-01-25 00:00 UT   16 14 19.7   +05 10 15    14.914   14.561   67.2    3.6   293   25.5 

    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.