C/2021 X1 (Maury-Attard)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	27 May 2023	15.3	3.234 AU	4.079 AU	02h42m	+02°34'	29.3°	8.8°	229°
Nearest approach	25 Sep 2023	14.6	3.432 AU	2.440 AU	00h39m	+06°40'	169.6°	3.0°	235°
Today	8 Oct 2026	24.2	10.357 AU	10.398 AU	18h25m	+16°20'	84.9°	5.5°	82°

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 5.4 + 5 log[∆] + 13.6 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/2021 X1 (Maury-Attard) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0009620
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.2337810
    i (Inclination)                 : 140.11280
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 10.66420
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 334.65700
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 30.63584
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -15.93164
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460092.06270

    Epoch                           : 2026 Oct 07
    Reference                       : MPC194178

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-10-07 00:00 UT   18 25 08.9   +16 25 03    10.375   10.349   85.7    5.5    83   24.2 
2026-10-08 00:00 UT   18 25 07.6   +16 21 23    10.395   10.356   85.0    5.5    83   24.2 
2026-10-08 03:23 UT   18 25 07.5   +16 20 52    10.398   10.357   84.9    5.5    82   24.2 
2026-10-09 00:00 UT   18 25 06.8   +16 17 45    10.415   10.362   84.2    5.5    82   24.2 
2026-10-10 00:00 UT   18 25 06.4   +16 14 08    10.434   10.368   83.4    5.5    81   24.2 
2026-10-11 00:00 UT   18 25 06.4   +16 10 33    10.454   10.374   82.7    5.5    81   24.3 
2026-10-12 00:00 UT   18 25 06.8   +16 07 00    10.474   10.381   81.9    5.5    80   24.3 
2026-10-13 00:00 UT   18 25 07.6   +16 03 29    10.494   10.387   81.1    5.4    79   24.3 
2026-10-14 00:00 UT   18 25 08.8   +15 59 60    10.513   10.393   80.4    5.4    79   24.3 
2026-10-15 00:00 UT   18 25 10.3   +15 56 32    10.533   10.400   79.6    5.4    78   24.3 
2026-10-16 00:00 UT   18 25 12.3   +15 53 07    10.552   10.406   78.8    5.4    78   24.3 
2026-10-17 00:00 UT   18 25 14.6   +15 49 43    10.572   10.412   78.1    5.4    77   24.3 
2026-10-18 00:00 UT   18 25 17.3   +15 46 22    10.591   10.418   77.3    5.4    76   24.3 

    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.