C/2018 E1 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	6 Mar 2018	17.4	2.731 AU	2.743 AU	04h27m	-45°29'	78.9°	20.9°	93°
Perihelion	18 Apr 2018	17.5	2.697 AU	2.873 AU	05h44m	-27°51'	69.8°	20.5°	115°
Today	26 Mar 2026	27.9	19.038 AU	18.727 AU	16h06m	+54°50'	106.7°	2.9°	240°

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 12.0 + 5 log[∆] + 7.5 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/2018 E1 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9502140
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.6965080
    i (Inclination)                 : 72.43640
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 146.58460
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 299.41380
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 118.42696
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -56.14883
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458226.75260
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 398.60

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 16
    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
2026-03-25 00:00 UT   16 06 28.1   +54 45 14    18.723   19.030  106.5    2.9   242   27.9 
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   16 06 19.7   +54 47 53    18.725   19.034  106.6    2.9   241   27.9 
2026-03-26 21:12 UT   16 06 11.9   +54 50 12    18.727   19.038  106.7    2.9   240   27.9 
2026-03-27 00:00 UT   16 06 10.9   +54 50 30    18.728   19.039  106.7    2.9   240   27.9 
2026-03-28 00:00 UT   16 06 01.8   +54 53 05    18.731   19.044  106.8    2.9   239   27.9 
2026-03-29 00:00 UT   16 05 52.4   +54 55 39    18.733   19.048  106.9    2.9   238   27.9 
2026-03-30 00:00 UT   16 05 42.7   +54 58 11    18.736   19.053  107.0    2.9   237   27.9 
2026-03-31 00:00 UT   16 05 32.6   +55 00 41    18.739   19.057  107.1    2.9   236   27.9 
2026-04-01 00:00 UT   16 05 22.2   +55 03 10    18.743   19.062  107.2    2.9   235   27.9 
2026-04-02 00:00 UT   16 05 11.5   +55 05 36    18.746   19.067  107.3    2.9   233   27.9 
2026-04-03 00:00 UT   16 05 00.5   +55 08 01    18.749   19.071  107.3    2.9   232   27.9 
2026-04-04 00:00 UT   16 04 49.2   +55 10 23    18.753   19.076  107.4    2.9   231   27.9 
2026-04-05 00:00 UT   16 04 37.6   +55 12 43    18.756   19.080  107.4    2.9   230   27.9 

    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.