C/2020 P3 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	7 Dec 2020	18.4	6.880 AU	6.395 AU	00h48m	+83°02'	115.7°	7.4°	115°
Perihelion	23 Apr 2021	18.6	6.821 AU	7.128 AU	04h07m	+79°15'	68.4°	7.9°	33°
Today	15 Nov 2026	23.3	14.035 AU	14.842 AU	13h17m	-02°40'	34.2°	2.3°	300°

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. The light curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from an MPEC, or the latest values provided by the minor planet center. (6.0 + 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 P3 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0039550
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 6.8211510
    i (Inclination)                 : 61.81040
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 19.49450
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 82.39640
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 93.71479
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 60.88435
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459327.73000

    Epoch                           : 2026 Nov 14
    Reference                       : MPC194169

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-11-14 00:00 UT   13 17 00.9   -02 37 00    14.849   14.028   32.8    2.2   300   23.3 
2026-11-15 00:00 UT   13 17 13.9   -02 39 06    14.844   14.033   33.8    2.2   300   23.3 
2026-11-15 11:03 UT   13 17 19.9   -02 40 04    14.842   14.035   34.2    2.3   300   23.3 
2026-11-16 00:00 UT   13 17 26.8   -02 41 11    14.839   14.037   34.7    2.3   300   23.3 
2026-11-17 00:00 UT   13 17 39.6   -02 43 15    14.833   14.042   35.6    2.4   299   23.3 
2026-11-18 00:00 UT   13 17 52.2   -02 45 18    14.828   14.047   36.6    2.4   299   23.3 
2026-11-19 00:00 UT   13 18 04.7   -02 47 20    14.822   14.051   37.5    2.5   299   23.3 
2026-11-20 00:00 UT   13 18 17.0   -02 49 20    14.816   14.056   38.4    2.5   298   23.3 
2026-11-21 00:00 UT   13 18 29.2   -02 51 19    14.810   14.061   39.4    2.6   298   23.3 
2026-11-22 00:00 UT   13 18 41.3   -02 53 17    14.804   14.065   40.3    2.6   298   23.3 
2026-11-23 00:00 UT   13 18 53.2   -02 55 14    14.797   14.070   41.3    2.7   298   23.3 
2026-11-24 00:00 UT   13 19 04.9   -02 57 10    14.790   14.075   42.2    2.7   298   23.3 
2026-11-25 00:00 UT   13 19 16.5   -02 59 05    14.783   14.079   43.2    2.7   297   23.3 

    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.