C/2019 K7 (Smith)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	16 Jun 2020	15.6	4.470 AU	3.800 AU	20h22m	+13°13'	125.7°	10.6°	228°
Nearest approach	15 Jul 2020	15.5	4.476 AU	3.646 AU	19h43m	+18°14'	140.4°	8.3°	181°
Today	4 Sep 2026	21.8	15.742 AU	16.502 AU	10h27m	+46°34'	39.9°	2.4°	350°

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 9.2 + 5 log[∆] + 5.4 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/2019 K7 (Smith) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9994500
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.4696090
    i (Inclination)                 : 103.45980
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 308.05200
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 27.28260
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 301.20649
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 26.47387
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459016.58050
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 732588.78

    Epoch                           : 2026 Sep 04
    Reference                       : MPC194161

    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
2026-09-03 00:00 UT   10 27 23.6   +46 37 11    16.502   15.732   39.1    2.3   352   21.8 
2026-09-04 00:00 UT   10 27 39.9   +46 35 56    16.502   15.737   39.5    2.3   351   21.8 
2026-09-04 21:57 UT   10 27 54.9   +46 34 50    16.502   15.742   39.9    2.4   350   21.8 
2026-09-05 00:00 UT   10 27 56.2   +46 34 44    16.502   15.742   39.9    2.4   350   21.8 
2026-09-06 00:00 UT   10 28 12.5   +46 33 34    16.501   15.748   40.4    2.4   349   21.8 
2026-09-07 00:00 UT   10 28 28.7   +46 32 26    16.501   15.753   40.9    2.4   348   21.8 
2026-09-08 00:00 UT   10 28 44.8   +46 31 20    16.500   15.758   41.4    2.4   346   21.8 
2026-09-09 00:00 UT   10 29 00.9   +46 30 16    16.499   15.763   41.8    2.4   345   21.8 
2026-09-10 00:00 UT   10 29 16.9   +46 29 15    16.498   15.768   42.4    2.5   344   21.8 
2026-09-11 00:00 UT   10 29 32.9   +46 28 15    16.496   15.774   42.9    2.5   343   21.8 
2026-09-12 00:00 UT   10 29 48.7   +46 27 18    16.494   15.779   43.4    2.5   342   21.8 
2026-09-13 00:00 UT   10 30 04.5   +46 26 24    16.493   15.784   43.9    2.5   341   21.8 
2026-09-14 00:00 UT   10 30 20.2   +46 25 31    16.491   15.789   44.5    2.6   340   21.8 

    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.