C/2020 P3 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	7 Dec 2020	18.4	6.877 AU	6.391 AU	00h47m	+83°00'	115.7°	7.4°	114°
Perihelion	23 Apr 2021	18.6	6.817 AU	7.124 AU	04h05m	+79°15'	68.4°	7.9°	32°
Today	25 Nov 2025	22.5	12.380 AU	13.019 AU	13h17m	+04°01'	47.9°	3.4°	303°

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)                : 1.0038880
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 6.8173560
    i (Inclination)                 : 61.84250
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 19.48820
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 82.36470
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 93.62951
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 60.90762
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459327.63710

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 24
    Reference                       : MPEC 2024-JU4

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-11-24 00:00 UT   13 17 27.8   +04 04 28    13.032   12.372   46.4    3.3   304   22.5 
2025-11-25 00:00 UT   13 17 40.8   +04 02 33    13.024   12.376   47.3    3.4   303   22.5 
2025-11-25 15:53 UT   13 17 49.4   +04 01 18    13.019   12.380   47.9    3.4   303   22.5 
2025-11-26 00:00 UT   13 17 53.7   +04 00 40    13.017   12.381   48.2    3.4   303   22.5 
2025-11-27 00:00 UT   13 18 06.4   +03 58 48    13.009   12.386   49.1    3.5   302   22.5 
2025-11-28 00:00 UT   13 18 18.9   +03 56 59    13.000   12.390   50.1    3.5   302   22.5 
2025-11-29 00:00 UT   13 18 31.1   +03 55 11    12.992   12.395   51.0    3.5   302   22.5 
2025-11-30 00:00 UT   13 18 43.2   +03 53 25    12.984   12.400   51.9    3.6   301   22.5 
2025-12-01 00:00 UT   13 18 55.1   +03 51 41    12.975   12.404   52.8    3.6   301   22.5 
2025-12-02 00:00 UT   13 19 06.8   +03 49 59    12.966   12.409   53.7    3.7   301   22.5 
2025-12-03 00:00 UT   13 19 18.3   +03 48 18    12.957   12.414   54.7    3.7   301   22.5 
2025-12-04 00:00 UT   13 19 29.5   +03 46 39    12.948   12.418   55.6    3.8   300   22.5 
2025-12-05 00:00 UT   13 19 40.6   +03 45 03    12.939   12.423   56.5    3.8   300   22.5 

    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.