C/2019 L3 (ATLAS) |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Nearest approach | 6 Jan 2022 | 9.4 | 3.559 AU | 2.585 AU | 07h06m | +31°49' | 170.6° | 2.6° | 174° |
Perihelion | 10 Jan 2022 | 9.4 | 3.559 AU | 2.587 AU | 07h02m | +31°11' | 169.6° | 2.9° | 151° |
Today | 18 Jul 2025 | 16.7 | 10.602 AU | 10.524 AU | 12h00m | -53°46' | 91.6° | 5.5° | 124° |
C/2019 L3 (ATLAS)- 2025-07-18
astro.vanbuitenen.nl
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.)
The orbital elements of C/2019 L3 (ATLAS) are:
e (Eccentricity) : 1.0031760
q (Perihelion distance) : 3.5589020
i (Inclination) : 48.34600
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 290.71590
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 171.75470
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 285.21464
B (Latitude of perihelion) : 6.15123
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2459589.63330
Epoch : 2025 Jul 17
Reference : MPEC 2025-MC0
Classification(s): : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)
The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC.
The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (4.50 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 2.35 + 5 log[∆] + 9.02 log[r]).
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.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.
The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.
A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.
Ephemerides:
Date Time RA (2000) DEC (2000) delta radius elong phase PA magn
2025-07-18 00:00 UT 12 00 24.3 -53 49 08 10.508 10.596 92.2 5.5 124 16.7
2025-07-18 22:43 UT 12 00 47.3 -53 46 39 10.524 10.602 91.6 5.5 124 16.7
2025-07-19 00:00 UT 12 00 48.6 -53 46 30 10.525 10.603 91.6 5.5 124 16.7
2025-07-20 00:00 UT 12 01 13.3 -53 43 56 10.542 10.609 91.0 5.5 125 16.7
2025-07-21 00:00 UT 12 01 38.3 -53 41 24 10.559 10.615 90.4 5.5 126 16.7
2025-07-22 00:00 UT 12 02 03.8 -53 38 57 10.576 10.621 89.8 5.5 126 16.7
2025-07-23 00:00 UT 12 02 29.6 -53 36 32 10.593 10.627 89.1 5.5 127 16.7
2025-07-24 00:00 UT 12 02 55.8 -53 34 12 10.610 10.633 88.5 5.5 128 16.7
2025-07-25 00:00 UT 12 03 22.3 -53 31 54 10.627 10.639 87.9 5.5 128 16.7
2025-07-26 00:00 UT 12 03 49.3 -53 29 40 10.645 10.645 87.3 5.5 129 16.8
2025-07-27 00:00 UT 12 04 16.5 -53 27 30 10.662 10.651 86.7 5.5 129 16.8
2025-07-28 00:00 UT 12 04 44.2 -53 25 23 10.679 10.657 86.0 5.5 130 16.8
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.