C/2024 A1 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	28 Jan 2025	16.2	4.052 AU	3.274 AU	07h03m	-16°58'	137.2°	9.5°	36°
Perihelion	13 Jun 2025	16.9	3.875 AU	4.773 AU	07h08m	+16°59'	24.8°	6.3°	109°
Today	7 Nov 2025	16.6	4.081 AU	3.808 AU	08h55m	+38°46'	98.9°	13.9°	284°

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 7.6 + 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/2024 A1 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0015390
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.8747420
    i (Inclination)                 : 94.50210
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 112.13900
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 353.23970
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 112.67211
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -6.73934
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460839.79230

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 06
    Reference                       : MPEC 2025-V36

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-11-06 00:00 UT   08 55 24.0   +38 25 41     3.825    4.077   97.6   13.9   284   16.6 
2025-11-07 00:00 UT   08 55 32.6   +38 41 48     3.812    4.080   98.6   13.9   284   16.6 
2025-11-07 07:12 UT   08 55 34.9   +38 46 41     3.808    4.081   98.9   13.9   284   16.6 
2025-11-08 00:00 UT   08 55 40.0   +38 58 06     3.799    4.083   99.6   13.8   283   16.6 
2025-11-09 00:00 UT   08 55 46.2   +39 14 34     3.786    4.085  100.6   13.8   283   16.6 
2025-11-10 00:00 UT   08 55 51.1   +39 31 12     3.773    4.088  101.5   13.7   283   16.6 
2025-11-11 00:00 UT   08 55 54.8   +39 48 01     3.760    4.091  102.5   13.7   282   16.6 
2025-11-12 00:00 UT   08 55 57.2   +40 04 60     3.748    4.094  103.5   13.6   282   16.6 
2025-11-13 00:00 UT   08 55 58.2   +40 22 09     3.735    4.096  104.5   13.5   281   16.6 
2025-11-14 00:00 UT   08 55 57.8   +40 39 28     3.723    4.099  105.5   13.5   281   16.6 
2025-11-15 00:00 UT   08 55 56.1   +40 56 57     3.710    4.102  106.5   13.4   280   16.6 
2025-11-16 00:00 UT   08 55 53.0   +41 14 36     3.698    4.105  107.4   13.3   280   16.6 
2025-11-17 00:00 UT   08 55 48.4   +41 32 25     3.687    4.108  108.4   13.2   279   16.6 

    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.