C/2020 R7 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	15 Jul 2022	14.0	3.015 AU	2.175 AU	18h34m	-61°16'	138.9°	12.8°	22°
Perihelion	15 Sep 2022	14.5	2.949 AU	2.935 AU	16h41m	-33°30'	81.0°	19.7°	100°
Today	5 Mar 2026	22.4	10.696 AU	10.282 AU	13h32m	+69°23'	112.2°	4.9°	221°

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 7.8 + 5 log[∆] + 9.3 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 R7 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9993010
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.9494650
    i (Inclination)                 : 114.90400
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 268.30550
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 347.71400
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 273.54525
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -11.12821
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459838.37690
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 274093.73

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 04
    Reference                       : MPEC 2024-PC5

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-03-04 00:00 UT   13 34 07.8   +69 16 58    10.270   10.688  112.4    4.9   223   22.4 
2026-03-05 00:00 UT   13 33 08.9   +69 21 41    10.279   10.694  112.2    4.9   221   22.4 
2026-03-05 09:10 UT   13 32 46.1   +69 23 27    10.282   10.696  112.2    4.9   221   22.4 
2026-03-06 00:00 UT   13 32 09.0   +69 26 18    10.288   10.700  112.1    4.9   220   22.4 
2026-03-07 00:00 UT   13 31 08.0   +69 30 49    10.297   10.707  111.9    4.9   219   22.4 
2026-03-08 00:00 UT   13 30 06.1   +69 35 14    10.306   10.713  111.7    4.9   217   22.4 
2026-03-09 00:00 UT   13 29 03.1   +69 39 32    10.315   10.719  111.5    4.9   216   22.4 
2026-03-10 00:00 UT   13 27 59.3   +69 43 45    10.324   10.726  111.3    4.9   215   22.4 
2026-03-11 00:00 UT   13 26 54.5   +69 47 51    10.334   10.732  111.1    5.0   213   22.5 
2026-03-12 00:00 UT   13 25 48.9   +69 51 50    10.343   10.738  110.9    5.0   212   22.5 
2026-03-13 00:00 UT   13 24 42.4   +69 55 42    10.353   10.745  110.7    5.0   211   22.5 
2026-03-14 00:00 UT   13 23 35.0   +69 59 28    10.363   10.751  110.4    5.0   209   22.5 
2026-03-15 00:00 UT   13 22 26.8   +70 03 07    10.373   10.757  110.2    5.0   208   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.