C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	6 Jan 2022	9.4	3.561 AU	2.587 AU	07h06m	+31°47'	170.6°	2.6°	174°
Perihelion	10 Jan 2022	9.4	3.561 AU	2.589 AU	07h02m	+31°08'	169.6°	2.9°	150°
Today	27 Dec 2025	17.4	11.579 AU	12.010 AU	13h30m	-58°04'	61.9°	4.3°	269°

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 2.3 + 5 log[∆] + 9.1 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 L3 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0033860
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.5611040
    i (Inclination)                 : 48.34690
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 290.71010
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 171.79150
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 285.23368
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 6.12394
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459589.71010

    Epoch                           : 2025 Dec 26
    Reference                       : MPC185656

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-12-26 00:00 UT   13 29 36.5   -57 57 29    12.015   11.569   60.9    4.3   268   17.4 
2025-12-27 00:00 UT   13 29 55.6   -58 01 40    12.012   11.575   61.5    4.3   269   17.4 
2025-12-27 16:39 UT   13 30 08.6   -58 04 34    12.010   11.579   61.9    4.3   269   17.4 
2025-12-28 00:00 UT   13 30 14.2   -58 05 51    12.009   11.581   62.1    4.3   270   17.4 
2025-12-29 00:00 UT   13 30 32.3   -58 10 01    12.005   11.587   62.6    4.3   271   17.4 
2025-12-30 00:00 UT   13 30 50.0   -58 14 12    12.002   11.593   63.2    4.3   271   17.4 
2025-12-31 00:00 UT   13 31 07.1   -58 18 22    11.998   11.599   63.8    4.4   272   17.4 
2026-01-01 00:00 UT   13 31 23.6   -58 22 33    11.995   11.605   64.4    4.4   273   17.4 
2026-01-02 00:00 UT   13 31 39.7   -58 26 43    11.991   11.611   65.0    4.4   274   17.4 
2026-01-03 00:00 UT   13 31 55.2   -58 30 53    11.987   11.617   65.7    4.4   274   17.4 
2026-01-04 00:00 UT   13 32 10.2   -58 35 02    11.983   11.623   66.3    4.4   275   17.4 
2026-01-05 00:00 UT   13 32 24.6   -58 39 11    11.979   11.629   66.9    4.5   276   17.4 
2026-01-06 00:00 UT   13 32 38.5   -58 43 20    11.975   11.635   67.5    4.5   277   17.4 

    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.