C/2021 J1 (Maury-Attard)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	19 Feb 2021	19.7	1.730 AU	2.319 AU	19h27m	+02°13'	42.8°	22.8°	289°
Nearest approach	27 May 2021	19.3	2.108 AU	1.298 AU	19h35m	-52°33'	131.2°	21.2°	290°
Today	9 Oct 2026	33.1	14.957 AU	14.914 AU	06h30m	-43°48'	90.5°	3.8°	279°

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. (15.5 + 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/2021 J1 (Maury-Attard) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9337820
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.7295660
    i (Inclination)                 : 92.71450
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 88.41490
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 147.13000
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 90.16777
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 32.82847
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459264.98040
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 133.49

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194174

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-10-08 00:00 UT   06 31 00.4   -43 43 51    14.917   14.951   90.0    3.8   278   33.1 
2026-10-09 00:00 UT   06 30 56.3   -43 46 57    14.915   14.956   90.4    3.8   279   33.1 
2026-10-09 08:09 UT   06 30 54.9   -43 48 01    14.914   14.957   90.5    3.8   279   33.1 
2026-10-10 00:00 UT   06 30 51.9   -43 50 03    14.913   14.961   90.8    3.8   280   33.1 
2026-10-11 00:00 UT   06 30 47.0   -43 53 09    14.911   14.965   91.2    3.8   281   33.1 
2026-10-12 00:00 UT   06 30 41.8   -43 56 13    14.909   14.970   91.6    3.8   282   33.1 
2026-10-13 00:00 UT   06 30 36.1   -43 59 17    14.907   14.975   92.0    3.8   282   33.1 
2026-10-14 00:00 UT   06 30 30.1   -44 02 20    14.905   14.980   92.4    3.8   283   33.1 
2026-10-15 00:00 UT   06 30 23.7   -44 05 22    14.903   14.985   92.8    3.8   284   33.1 
2026-10-16 00:00 UT   06 30 16.9   -44 08 22    14.901   14.990   93.1    3.8   285   33.1 
2026-10-17 00:00 UT   06 30 09.8   -44 11 22    14.900   14.995   93.5    3.8   286   33.1 
2026-10-18 00:00 UT   06 30 02.2   -44 14 21    14.898   15.000   93.9    3.8   287   33.1 
2026-10-19 00:00 UT   06 29 54.3   -44 17 18    14.896   15.004   94.3    3.8   288   33.1 

    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.