C/2019 K7 (Smith)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	16 Jun 2020	15.6	4.470 AU	3.799 AU	20h22m	+13°14'	125.8°	10.6°	228°
Nearest approach	15 Jul 2020	15.5	4.477 AU	3.646 AU	19h43m	+18°13'	140.4°	8.3°	181°
Today	6 Jul 2026	21.7	15.430 AU	16.125 AU	10h12m	+48°40'	45.5°	2.7°	72°

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)                : 0.9995550
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.4700800
    i (Inclination)                 : 103.46010
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 308.05180
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 27.29110
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 301.20367
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 26.48204
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459016.72680

    Epoch                           : 2026 Jul 06
    Reference                       : MPC194161

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-07-05 00:00 UT   10 12 20.9   +48 46 21    16.101   15.420   46.6    2.7    74   21.7 
2026-07-06 00:00 UT   10 12 32.1   +48 43 31    16.114   15.425   46.0    2.7    73   21.7 
2026-07-06 22:09 UT   10 12 42.6   +48 40 54    16.125   15.430   45.5    2.7    72   21.7 
2026-07-07 00:00 UT   10 12 43.5   +48 40 41    16.126   15.430   45.4    2.7    72   21.7 
2026-07-08 00:00 UT   10 12 55.1   +48 37 53    16.139   15.436   44.9    2.7    71   21.7 
2026-07-09 00:00 UT   10 13 06.9   +48 35 05    16.151   15.441   44.3    2.6    70   21.7 
2026-07-10 00:00 UT   10 13 19.0   +48 32 19    16.163   15.446   43.8    2.6    69   21.7 
2026-07-11 00:00 UT   10 13 31.2   +48 29 33    16.175   15.451   43.3    2.6    68   21.7 
2026-07-12 00:00 UT   10 13 43.6   +48 26 49    16.187   15.456   42.8    2.6    67   21.7 
2026-07-13 00:00 UT   10 13 56.3   +48 24 06    16.198   15.462   42.3    2.5    66   21.7 
2026-07-14 00:00 UT   10 14 09.1   +48 21 24    16.210   15.467   41.8    2.5    65   21.7 
2026-07-15 00:00 UT   10 14 22.1   +48 18 43    16.221   15.472   41.3    2.5    64   21.7 
2026-07-16 00:00 UT   10 14 35.2   +48 16 03    16.232   15.477   40.8    2.5    63   21.7 

    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.