C/2019 K7 (Smith)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	16 Jun 2020	15.6	4.471 AU	3.798 AU	20h22m	+13°15'	126.0°	10.6°	228°
Nearest approach	16 Jul 2020	15.5	4.477 AU	3.647 AU	19h43m	+18°12'	140.4°	8.3°	180°
Today	23 Apr 2026	21.4	15.042 AU	14.864 AU	10h12m	+52°17'	98.3°	3.8°	123°

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)                : 0.9997180
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 4.4708620
    i (Inclination)                 : 103.46070
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 308.05130
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 27.30470
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 301.19892
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 26.49510
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459016.93920

    Epoch                           : 2026 Apr 23
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-04-22 00:00 UT   10 13 16.6   +52 21 44    14.829   15.032   99.7    3.8   125   21.4 
2026-04-23 00:00 UT   10 13 01.5   +52 19 21    14.848   15.038   99.0    3.8   124   21.4 
2026-04-23 20:39 UT   10 12 48.8   +52 17 17    14.864   15.042   98.3    3.8   123   21.4 
2026-04-24 00:00 UT   10 12 46.8   +52 16 57    14.866   15.043   98.2    3.8   123   21.4 
2026-04-25 00:00 UT   10 12 32.5   +52 14 30    14.885   15.048   97.4    3.8   123   21.4 
2026-04-26 00:00 UT   10 12 18.6   +52 12 02    14.903   15.053   96.6    3.8   122   21.4 
2026-04-27 00:00 UT   10 12 05.2   +52 09 32    14.922   15.059   95.9    3.8   121   21.4 
2026-04-28 00:00 UT   10 11 52.2   +52 06 59    14.941   15.064   95.1    3.8   121   21.4 
2026-04-29 00:00 UT   10 11 39.6   +52 04 26    14.959   15.069   94.3    3.8   120   21.4 
2026-04-30 00:00 UT   10 11 27.5   +52 01 50    14.978   15.074   93.5    3.8   119   21.4 
2026-05-01 00:00 UT   10 11 15.7   +51 59 13    14.997   15.080   92.8    3.8   119   21.5 
2026-05-02 00:00 UT   10 11 04.5   +51 56 35    15.016   15.085   92.0    3.8   118   21.5 
2026-05-03 00:00 UT   10 10 53.6   +51 53 54    15.034   15.090   91.2    3.8   117   21.5 

    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.