C/2024 L5 (ATLAS)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	10 Mar 2025	15.7	3.434 AU	2.747 AU	14h14m	-30°12'	126.6°	13.4°	302°
Nearest approach	10 Apr 2025	15.5	3.446 AU	2.474 AU	12h52m	-23°47'	163.3°	4.8°	20°
Today	21 Mar 2026	18.8	4.856 AU	4.100 AU	09h09m	+15°02'	135.0°	8.3°	106°

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 5.5 + 5 log[∆] + 14.9 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/2024 L5 (ATLAS) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0373360
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.4335280
    i (Inclination)                 : 166.57490
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 139.17630
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 290.55340
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 208.09560
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -12.55608
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460745.05440

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 20
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-F34

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-03-20 00:00 UT   09 10 52.5   +14 53 57     4.076    4.848  136.6    8.1   106   18.8 
2026-03-21 00:00 UT   09 09 45.9   +15 01 05     4.095    4.854  135.3    8.3   106   18.8 
2026-03-21 05:33 UT   09 09 30.7   +15 02 43     4.100    4.856  135.0    8.3   106   18.8 
2026-03-22 00:00 UT   09 08 40.5   +15 08 05     4.115    4.861  134.1    8.5   106   18.8 
2026-03-23 00:00 UT   09 07 36.4   +15 14 56     4.134    4.867  132.8    8.6   106   18.8 
2026-03-24 00:00 UT   09 06 33.5   +15 21 40     4.154    4.873  131.5    8.8   106   18.8 
2026-03-25 00:00 UT   09 05 32.0   +15 28 16     4.175    4.879  130.3    9.0   106   18.8 
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   09 04 31.7   +15 34 44     4.195    4.885  129.0    9.1   106   18.9 
2026-03-27 00:00 UT   09 03 32.6   +15 41 04     4.216    4.891  127.8    9.3   106   18.9 
2026-03-28 00:00 UT   09 02 34.9   +15 47 16     4.237    4.897  126.5    9.4   106   18.9 
2026-03-29 00:00 UT   09 01 38.4   +15 53 20     4.259    4.904  125.3    9.6   106   18.9 
2026-03-30 00:00 UT   09 00 43.3   +15 59 17     4.280    4.910  124.1    9.7   106   18.9 
2026-03-31 00:00 UT   08 59 49.4   +16 05 06     4.302    4.916  122.8    9.8   106   19.0 

    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.