C/2020 R7 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	15 Jul 2022	14.0	3.015 AU	2.174 AU	18h34m	-61°16'	138.9°	12.8°	22°
Perihelion	15 Sep 2022	14.5	2.949 AU	2.934 AU	16h41m	-33°31'	81.0°	19.7°	100°
Today	1 May 2026	22.8	11.056 AU	10.983 AU	12h25m	+70°33'	91.5°	5.2°	149°

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[∆] + 9.4 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)                : 0.9992160
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.9489030
    i (Inclination)                 : 114.90470
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 268.30260
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 347.70210
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 273.54769
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -11.13890
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459838.32880
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 230683.56

    Epoch                           : 2026 Apr 30
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

    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
2026-04-30 00:00 UT   12 26 40.4   +70 36 53    10.960   11.046   92.3    5.2   151   22.8 
2026-05-01 00:00 UT   12 25 37.6   +70 34 52    10.975   11.053   91.8    5.2   150   22.8 
2026-05-01 13:51 UT   12 25 01.7   +70 33 40    10.983   11.056   91.5    5.2   149   22.8 
2026-05-02 00:00 UT   12 24 35.6   +70 32 46    10.989   11.059   91.3    5.2   149   22.8 
2026-05-03 00:00 UT   12 23 34.7   +70 30 35    11.004   11.065   90.9    5.2   147   22.8 
2026-05-04 00:00 UT   12 22 34.7   +70 28 18    11.018   11.071   90.4    5.2   146   22.8 
2026-05-05 00:00 UT   12 21 35.7   +70 25 56    11.033   11.078   89.9    5.2   145   22.8 
2026-05-06 00:00 UT   12 20 37.6   +70 23 28    11.048   11.084   89.4    5.2   144   22.8 
2026-05-07 00:00 UT   12 19 40.6   +70 20 55    11.062   11.090   88.9    5.2   143   22.8 
2026-05-08 00:00 UT   12 18 44.6   +70 18 18    11.077   11.096   88.5    5.2   142   22.8 
2026-05-09 00:00 UT   12 17 49.7   +70 15 35    11.092   11.103   88.0    5.2   141   22.8 
2026-05-10 00:00 UT   12 16 55.8   +70 12 48    11.107   11.109   87.5    5.2   140   22.8 
2026-05-11 00:00 UT   12 16 03.0   +70 09 55    11.122   11.115   87.0    5.2   139   22.8 

    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.