3I/ATLAS
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	6 Jul 2025	17.2	4.343 AU	3.356 AU	17h56m	-18°37'	164.1°	3.7°	108°
Perihelion	29 Oct 2025	11.4	1.367 AU	2.319 AU	13h29m	-06°56'	12.7°	9.2°	302°
Nearest approach	19 Dec 2025	13.1	2.299 AU	1.816 AU	10h47m	+07°01'	106.5°	24.2°	292°

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 3I/ATLAS are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 6.2189990
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.3670320
            i (Inclination)                 : 175.11510
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 322.22270
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 127.88150
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 14.24011
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 3.85380
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2460977.82750

            Epoch                           : 2025 May 05
            Reference                       : MPEC 2025-N44

            Classification(s):              : Interstellar
        

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 (11.70 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 8.23 + 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
2025-07-06 00:00 UT   17 57 17.9   -18 37 33     3.369    4.357  164.7    3.5   108   17.3 
2025-07-06 10:30 UT   17 56 19.9   -18 37 04     3.356    4.343  164.1    3.7   108   17.2 
2025-07-07 00:00 UT   17 55 04.8   -18 36 26     3.341    4.324  163.3    3.9   107   17.2 
2025-07-08 00:00 UT   17 52 49.9   -18 35 14     3.313    4.291  161.9    4.2   106   17.2 
2025-07-09 00:00 UT   17 50 33.1   -18 33 55     3.286    4.257  160.5    4.6   105   17.1 
2025-07-10 00:00 UT   17 48 14.5   -18 32 31     3.260    4.224  159.0    4.9   104   17.1 
2025-07-11 00:00 UT   17 45 54.2   -18 31 01     3.234    4.191  157.5    5.3   103   17.0 
2025-07-12 00:00 UT   17 43 32.1   -18 29 24     3.209    4.157  156.0    5.7   103   17.0 
2025-07-13 00:00 UT   17 41 08.3   -18 27 40     3.184    4.124  154.5    6.1   102   16.9 
2025-07-14 00:00 UT   17 38 43.0   -18 25 49     3.160    4.091  153.0    6.5   102   16.9 
2025-07-15 00:00 UT   17 36 16.0   -18 23 52     3.136    4.058  151.5    6.9   101   16.8 
2025-07-16 00:00 UT   17 33 47.5   -18 21 47     3.113    4.025  150.0    7.3   101   16.7 

    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.