C/2020 R7 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	15 Jul 2022	14.0	3.013 AU	2.172 AU	18h34m	-61°17'	138.9°	12.8°	22°
Perihelion	15 Sep 2022	14.5	2.948 AU	2.930 AU	16h41m	-33°33'	81.2°	19.7°	100°
Today	4 Nov 2026	23.4	12.209 AU	12.312 AU	12h42m	+63°03'	81.7°	4.6°	332°

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)                : 0.9989810
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.9475430
    i (Inclination)                 : 114.90800
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 268.29080
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 347.67020
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 273.55050
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -11.16741
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459838.15810
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 155571.11

    Epoch                           : 2026 Nov 04
    Reference                       : MPC194169

    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
2026-11-03 00:00 UT   12 41 34.0   +63 00 02    12.318   12.198   80.7    4.6   333   23.4 
2026-11-04 00:00 UT   12 41 59.5   +63 02 07    12.315   12.204   81.3    4.6   332   23.4 
2026-11-04 19:34 UT   12 42 20.1   +63 03 51    12.312   12.209   81.7    4.6   332   23.4 
2026-11-05 00:00 UT   12 42 24.8   +63 04 16    12.312   12.210   81.8    4.6   332   23.4 
2026-11-06 00:00 UT   12 42 49.8   +63 06 29    12.309   12.216   82.3    4.6   331   23.4 
2026-11-07 00:00 UT   12 43 14.5   +63 08 46    12.306   12.222   82.8    4.6   330   23.4 
2026-11-08 00:00 UT   12 43 38.9   +63 11 07    12.303   12.228   83.4    4.6   329   23.4 
2026-11-09 00:00 UT   12 44 03.1   +63 13 33    12.300   12.234   83.9    4.6   329   23.4 
2026-11-10 00:00 UT   12 44 26.9   +63 16 02    12.297   12.240   84.4    4.6   328   23.4 
2026-11-11 00:00 UT   12 44 50.4   +63 18 36    12.293   12.246   84.9    4.6   327   23.4 
2026-11-12 00:00 UT   12 45 13.6   +63 21 14    12.290   12.252   85.5    4.6   326   23.4 
2026-11-13 00:00 UT   12 45 36.4   +63 23 56    12.287   12.258   86.0    4.6   325   23.4 
2026-11-14 00:00 UT   12 45 58.9   +63 26 42    12.284   12.264   86.5    4.6   325   23.4 

    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.