C/2024 M1 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	19 Nov 2024	14.9	1.704 AU	0.843 AU	06h04m	-05°24'	136.8°	23.4°	307°
Nearest approach	6 Dec 2024	14.7	1.717 AU	0.737 AU	05h00m	+13°35'	170.9°	5.2°	350°
Today	3 Mar 2026	23.7	5.268 AU	5.092 AU	17h03m	+57°30'	94.7°	10.8°	275°

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 13.0 + 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/2024 M1 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9427520
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.7037350
    i (Inclination)                 : 73.70930
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 76.21710
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 345.59440
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 72.09594
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -13.81549
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460634.46500
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 162.35

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 03
    Reference                       : MPC188412

    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
2026-03-02 00:00 UT   17 03 53.2   +57 16 17     5.082    5.252   94.4   10.8   277   23.7 
2026-03-03 00:00 UT   17 03 55.5   +57 23 50     5.087    5.260   94.6   10.8   276   23.7 
2026-03-03 22:23 UT   17 03 56.3   +57 30 53     5.092    5.268   94.7   10.8   275   23.7 
2026-03-04 00:00 UT   17 03 56.3   +57 31 24     5.093    5.268   94.8   10.8   275   23.7 
2026-03-05 00:00 UT   17 03 55.6   +57 38 58     5.098    5.277   94.9   10.8   274   23.7 
2026-03-06 00:00 UT   17 03 53.4   +57 46 32     5.103    5.285   95.1   10.8   273   23.7 
2026-03-07 00:00 UT   17 03 49.8   +57 54 05     5.108    5.293   95.3   10.8   272   23.8 
2026-03-08 00:00 UT   17 03 44.6   +58 01 38     5.113    5.301   95.5   10.7   271   23.8 
2026-03-09 00:00 UT   17 03 37.8   +58 09 10     5.119    5.309   95.6   10.7   270   23.8 
2026-03-10 00:00 UT   17 03 29.6   +58 16 41     5.124    5.318   95.8   10.7   269   23.8 
2026-03-11 00:00 UT   17 03 19.7   +58 24 12     5.129    5.326   96.0   10.7   268   23.8 
2026-03-12 00:00 UT   17 03 08.3   +58 31 40     5.135    5.334   96.2   10.7   267   23.8 
2026-03-13 00:00 UT   17 02 55.4   +58 39 07     5.140    5.342   96.3   10.7   266   23.8 

    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.