C/2020 M3 (ATLAS) |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Perihelion | 25 Oct 2020 | 8.3 | 1.276 AU | 0.412 AU | 05h08m | -17°11' | 125.1° | 39.6° | 299° |
Nearest approach | 14 Nov 2020 | 8.2 | 1.310 AU | 0.365 AU | 05h24m | +04°55' | 146.7° | 24.5° | 296° |
Today | 8 Oct 2025 | 33.3 | 14.139 AU | 15.077 AU | 13h14m | +12°53' | 19.5° | 1.4° | 13° |
C/2020 M3 (ATLAS)- 2025-10-08
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 M3 (ATLAS) are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.9532740
q (Perihelion distance) : 1.2764380
i (Inclination) : 23.46870
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 71.18390
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 328.68060
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 42.01631
B (Latitude of perihelion) : -11.94734
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2459148.12420
P (Orbital period in years) : 142.78
Epoch : 2025 Oct 08
Reference : MPEC 2022-H30
Classification(s): : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); Halley type (P < 200 years)
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 (14.50 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 8.48 + 5 log[∆] + 16.49 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
2025-10-08 00:00 UT 13 14 11.5 +12 54 45 15.073 14.134 19.3 1.3 15 33.3
2025-10-08 23:04 UT 13 14 27.3 +12 53 06 15.077 14.139 19.5 1.4 13 33.3
2025-10-09 00:00 UT 13 14 27.9 +12 53 03 15.077 14.139 19.5 1.4 13 33.3
2025-10-10 00:00 UT 13 14 44.3 +12 51 22 15.081 14.145 19.7 1.4 10 33.3
2025-10-11 00:00 UT 13 15 00.7 +12 49 42 15.084 14.150 19.9 1.4 7 33.3
2025-10-12 00:00 UT 13 15 17.1 +12 48 04 15.088 14.155 20.1 1.4 5 33.4
2025-10-13 00:00 UT 13 15 33.5 +12 46 27 15.091 14.160 20.4 1.4 2 33.4
2025-10-14 00:00 UT 13 15 49.9 +12 44 51 15.093 14.166 20.8 1.4 360 33.4
2025-10-15 00:00 UT 13 16 06.2 +12 43 17 15.096 14.171 21.1 1.5 358 33.4
2025-10-16 00:00 UT 13 16 22.6 +12 41 44 15.098 14.176 21.5 1.5 355 33.4
2025-10-17 00:00 UT 13 16 39.0 +12 40 13 15.100 14.181 22.0 1.5 353 33.4
2025-10-18 00:00 UT 13 16 55.3 +12 38 43 15.102 14.186 22.4 1.5 351 33.4
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.