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	00h47m	+83°02'	115.7°	7.4°	115°
Perihelion	23 Apr 2021	18.6	6.821 AU	7.127 AU	04h06m	+79°15'	68.4°	7.9°	33°
Today	16 Oct 2026	23.3	13.895 AU	14.881 AU	13h10m	-01°30'	8.1°	0.6°	335°

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)                : 1.0039470
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 6.8207940
    i (Inclination)                 : 61.81340
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 19.49410
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 82.39350
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 93.70714
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 60.88654
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459327.72280

    Epoch                           : 2026 Oct 15
    Reference                       : MPC194169

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-10-15 00:00 UT   13 09 49.5   -01 26 54    14.876   13.888    7.2    0.5   342   23.3 
2026-10-16 00:00 UT   13 10 04.6   -01 29 25    14.879   13.893    7.8    0.6   337   23.3 
2026-10-16 11:22 UT   13 10 11.8   -01 30 37    14.881   13.895    8.1    0.6   335   23.3 
2026-10-17 00:00 UT   13 10 19.7   -01 31 56    14.882   13.897    8.5    0.6   333   23.3 
2026-10-18 00:00 UT   13 10 34.9   -01 34 26    14.884   13.902    9.2    0.7   329   23.3 
2026-10-19 00:00 UT   13 10 49.9   -01 36 55    14.886   13.907    9.9    0.7   325   23.3 
2026-10-20 00:00 UT   13 11 05.0   -01 39 23    14.888   13.911   10.7    0.8   323   23.3 
2026-10-21 00:00 UT   13 11 20.0   -01 41 51    14.890   13.916   11.5    0.8   320   23.3 
2026-10-22 00:00 UT   13 11 35.0   -01 44 18    14.891   13.921   12.3    0.9   318   23.3 
2026-10-23 00:00 UT   13 11 49.9   -01 46 45    14.892   13.925   13.1    0.9   316   23.3 
2026-10-24 00:00 UT   13 12 04.8   -01 49 11    14.893   13.930   14.0    1.0   315   23.3 
2026-10-25 00:00 UT   13 12 19.6   -01 51 36    14.893   13.935   14.8    1.0   313   23.3 
2026-10-26 00:00 UT   13 12 34.4   -01 54 00    14.894   13.939   15.7    1.1   312   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.