C/2020 R7 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	15 Jul 2022	14.0	3.015 AU	2.174 AU	18h34m	-61°16'	138.9°	12.8°	22°
Perihelion	15 Sep 2022	14.5	2.949 AU	2.934 AU	16h41m	-33°31'	81.0°	19.7°	100°
Today	9 Apr 2026	22.6	10.916 AU	10.670 AU	12h51m	+70°53'	101.6°	5.2°	175°

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 7.8 + 5 log[∆] + 9.4 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/2020 R7 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9992490
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.9491150
    i (Inclination)                 : 114.90440
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 268.30390
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 347.70670
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 273.54692
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -11.13477
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459838.34820
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 246080.76

    Epoch                           : 2026 Apr 08
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

    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
2026-04-08 00:00 UT   12 52 44.3   +70 53 24    10.654   10.908  102.1    5.1   177   22.6 
2026-04-09 00:00 UT   12 51 28.3   +70 53 54    10.667   10.915  101.7    5.2   175   22.6 
2026-04-09 05:30 UT   12 51 10.9   +70 53 60    10.670   10.916  101.6    5.2   175   22.6 
2026-04-10 00:00 UT   12 50 12.4   +70 54 16    10.681   10.921  101.3    5.2   174   22.7 
2026-04-11 00:00 UT   12 48 56.9   +70 54 31    10.694   10.927  100.9    5.2   173   22.7 
2026-04-12 00:00 UT   12 47 41.6   +70 54 39    10.707   10.934  100.4    5.2   172   22.7 
2026-04-13 00:00 UT   12 46 26.7   +70 54 39    10.721   10.940  100.0    5.2   171   22.7 
2026-04-14 00:00 UT   12 45 12.1   +70 54 32    10.734   10.946   99.6    5.2   169   22.7 
2026-04-15 00:00 UT   12 43 58.0   +70 54 17    10.748   10.952   99.1    5.2   168   22.7 
2026-04-16 00:00 UT   12 42 44.3   +70 53 55    10.762   10.959   98.7    5.2   167   22.7 
2026-04-17 00:00 UT   12 41 31.1   +70 53 26    10.775   10.965   98.3    5.2   166   22.7 
2026-04-18 00:00 UT   12 40 18.5   +70 52 50    10.789   10.971   97.8    5.2   165   22.7 
2026-04-19 00:00 UT   12 39 06.4   +70 52 07    10.803   10.977   97.4    5.2   163   22.7 

    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.