C/2020 M5 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	19 Aug 2021	15.0	3.001 AU	3.627 AU	12h29m	+43°14'	45.2°	13.8°	59°
Nearest approach	2 Mar 2022	15.0	3.557 AU	2.598 AU	12h02m	+10°26'	162.6°	4.8°	260°
Today	1 Jan 2026	24.0	12.698 AU	12.571 AU	08h46m	-57°58'	95.2°	4.4°	332°

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.)

Light curve

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations from COBS. This lightcurve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 7.5 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 log[r]). An additional green curve is displayed when an increase in apparent brightness is expected due to forward scattering of sunlight, which occurs when a dust-rich comet is located between the Earth and the Sun. (See Marcus 2007)

Charts

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.

Orbital elements

The orbital elements of C/2020 M5 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0000680
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.0005280
    i (Inclination)                 : 93.16230
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 351.99310
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 126.24820
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 356.29592
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 53.63297
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459446.12930

    Epoch                           : 2025 Dec 31
    Reference                       : MPEC 2023-FK0

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-12-31 00:00 UT   08 47 05.8   -57 54 41    12.571   12.690   94.7    4.4   331   24.0 
2026-01-01 00:00 UT   08 46 30.1   -57 57 13    12.571   12.696   95.1    4.4   332   24.0 
2026-01-01 08:20 UT   08 46 17.7   -57 58 05    12.571   12.698   95.2    4.4   332   24.0 
2026-01-02 00:00 UT   08 45 54.2   -57 59 40    12.571   12.702   95.4    4.4   333   24.0 
2026-01-03 00:00 UT   08 45 17.8   -58 02 02    12.571   12.708   95.8    4.4   334   24.0 
2026-01-04 00:00 UT   08 44 41.1   -58 04 19    12.571   12.714   96.1    4.4   335   24.0 
2026-01-05 00:00 UT   08 44 04.1   -58 06 31    12.571   12.720   96.5    4.4   336   24.0 
2026-01-06 00:00 UT   08 43 26.7   -58 08 37    12.572   12.726   96.8    4.4   338   24.0 
2026-01-07 00:00 UT   08 42 49.0   -58 10 38    12.572   12.732   97.1    4.4   339   24.0 
2026-01-08 00:00 UT   08 42 11.0   -58 12 34    12.573   12.738   97.5    4.4   340   24.0 
2026-01-09 00:00 UT   08 41 32.8   -58 14 24    12.573   12.744   97.8    4.4   341   24.0 
2026-01-10 00:00 UT   08 40 54.2   -58 16 09    12.574   12.750   98.1    4.4   342   24.0 
2026-01-11 00:00 UT   08 40 15.5   -58 17 49    12.574   12.756   98.4    4.4   343   24.0 

    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.