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°15'	45.2°	13.8°	59°
Nearest approach	2 Mar 2022	15.0	3.557 AU	2.599 AU	12h02m	+10°26'	162.6°	4.8°	260°
Today	7 Mar 2026	24.1	13.087 AU	12.762 AU	08h05m	-57°27'	107.0°	4.2°	49°

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 7.4 + 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)                : 1.0000510
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.0009180
    i (Inclination)                 : 93.15870
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 351.98380
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 126.25090
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 356.28132
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 53.63055
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459446.07060

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 07
    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
2026-03-06 00:00 UT   08 06 32.3   -57 33 10    12.750   13.076  107.1    4.2    47   24.1 
2026-03-07 00:00 UT   08 06 03.7   -57 30 12    12.757   13.082  107.0    4.2    48   24.1 
2026-03-07 20:06 UT   08 05 40.2   -57 27 41    12.762   13.087  107.0    4.2    49   24.1 
2026-03-08 00:00 UT   08 05 35.6   -57 27 11    12.763   13.088  107.0    4.2    49   24.1 
2026-03-09 00:00 UT   08 05 08.1   -57 24 07    12.769   13.094  107.0    4.2    50   24.1 
2026-03-10 00:00 UT   08 04 41.2   -57 20 59    12.776   13.100  106.9    4.2    52   24.1 
2026-03-11 00:00 UT   08 04 14.8   -57 17 49    12.783   13.106  106.9    4.2    53   24.1 
2026-03-12 00:00 UT   08 03 48.9   -57 14 35    12.789   13.112  106.8    4.2    54   24.2 
2026-03-13 00:00 UT   08 03 23.6   -57 11 19    12.796   13.118  106.7    4.2    55   24.2 
2026-03-14 00:00 UT   08 02 58.9   -57 07 60    12.803   13.124  106.7    4.2    56   24.2 
2026-03-15 00:00 UT   08 02 34.8   -57 04 38    12.811   13.129  106.6    4.2    57   24.2 
2026-03-16 00:00 UT   08 02 11.2   -57 01 14    12.818   13.135  106.5    4.2    59   24.2 
2026-03-17 00:00 UT   08 01 48.2   -56 57 47    12.825   13.141  106.4    4.2    60   24.2 

    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.