C/2024 A1 (ATLAS)
ephemeris date magn radius delta ra dec elong phase PA
Nearest approach28 Jan 202515.94.054 AU3.276 AU07h03m-16°57'137.2°9.5°36°
Perihelion13 Jun 202516.53.875 AU4.776 AU07h08m+17°02'24.5°6.2°109°
Today27 Jun 202516.53.877 AU4.856 AU07h20m+18°46'13.9°3.6°112°
C/2024 A1 (ATLAS)- 2025-06-27
astro.vanbuitenen.nl


 
-1 month
-1 week
-1 day
Now
+1 day
+1 week
+1 month

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/2024 A1 (ATLAS) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0025050
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.8752930
            i (Inclination)                 : 94.46740
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 112.13510
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 353.30570
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 112.65890
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -6.67387
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460840.17760

            Epoch                           : 2025 Jun 25
            Reference                       : MPC184411

            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 (7.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 7.21 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 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
2025-06-27 00:00 UT   07 19 54.8   +18 44 34     4.855    3.877   14.1    3.7   112   16.5 
2025-06-27 04:54 UT   07 20 05.3   +18 46 03     4.856    3.877   13.9    3.6   112   16.5 
2025-06-28 00:00 UT   07 20 46.1   +18 51 51     4.860    3.877   13.3    3.5   112   16.5 
2025-06-29 00:00 UT   07 21 37.5   +18 59 06     4.864    3.878   12.5    3.3   112   16.5 
2025-06-30 00:00 UT   07 22 29.1   +19 06 18     4.868    3.878   11.7    3.0   112   16.5 
2025-07-01 00:00 UT   07 23 20.8   +19 13 27     4.872    3.878   10.9    2.8   113   16.5 
2025-07-02 00:00 UT   07 24 12.7   +19 20 34     4.875    3.879   10.1    2.6   113   16.5 
2025-07-03 00:00 UT   07 25 04.7   +19 27 39     4.879    3.879    9.4    2.4   114   16.5 
2025-07-04 00:00 UT   07 25 56.8   +19 34 41     4.882    3.879    8.6    2.2   114   16.5 
2025-07-05 00:00 UT   07 26 49.1   +19 41 42     4.885    3.880    7.8    2.0   115   16.5 
2025-07-06 00:00 UT   07 27 41.5   +19 48 40     4.887    3.880    7.0    1.8   116   16.5 
2025-07-07 00:00 UT   07 28 34.0   +19 55 36     4.890    3.881    6.3    1.6   116   16.5 

































































    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.