Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS)
Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) is in the constellation of
Gemini,
at a distance of
Finder Charts
View interactive star map
High precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS)?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) in the sky and additional links to sky charts.
Celestial Coordinates
Apparent
J2000
Additional Information
The observed values of Magnitude, Coma Diameter and Tail Length are derived from the most recent observation recorded at the Comet Observers Database. The value of Predicted Magnitude comes from the JPL Horizons ephemerides service and, in the case of comets, might be inaccurate given the highly dynamic and unpredictable behavior of these objects. When available, please refer to the Observed Magnitude value and consider the Predicted Magnitude as a directional indication. We acknowledge with thanks the comet observations from the COBS Comet Observation Database contributed by observers worldwide and used in this table to report recent comet observations.
Rise and Set Times
Today's rise, transit and set times of Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) is below the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Given its current magnitude, C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) is visible only through long exposure photography.
- Go to interactive sky chart
If you need to access this information frequently for your observations, you can create a simple customized Quick Access page, so that you can easily bookmark it in your browser favorites or add a shortcut to your mobile phones' home screen.
Distance from Earth
The distance of Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) from Earth as a function of time. In the chart the distance data is measured in Astronomical Units and sampled with an interval of 1 day.
The value of the reported distance might be somewhat inaccurate around the times of closest approach for objects passing extremely close to Earth. The value of the distance of C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Closest Approach
Between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2099, the closest approach of Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) to Earth happens on Sat Aug 15 2065 at a distance of 1.477420 Astronomical Units, or 221,018,939 kilometers:
NOTE: values for the closest approach are computed with a sampling interval of 1 day.
Light Curve
The following chart is the predicted light curve (visual magnitude as a function of time) of Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS), according to the most recent ephemerides data. Magnitude data is sampled with a 2 days interval and there might be inaccuracies for objects changing brightness very rapidly during the course of a few days. For comets there could be large discrepancies between the observed and predicted brightness because of their highly dynamic behaviour.
Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) at epoch 18 August 2021 00:00 UTC (JD: 2459445.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 0.80399384 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 16.27606739° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 2.49783183 AU 373,670,323 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q |
22.98944647 AU 3,439,172,247 km |
| Semi-major axis | a |
12.74363915 AU 1,906,421,285 km |
| Orbital period | period |
45.4934 years 16,616.4645 days |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2021-May-04 13:50:34 2,459,339.0768 JD |
| Next perihelion transit | 2066-Nov-01 00:59 2,475,955.5413 JD |
|
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 184.30382098948° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 140.90565587147° |
| Mean anomaly | M | 2.3056864316312° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.02166526°/day |
View Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) in the 3D Solar System Simulator
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) computed for the past and next 7 days, with a 24 hours interval. Apparent celestial coordinates are provided.
| Date | Right AscensionR.A. | DeclinationDec. | MagnitudeMag | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 May 29 | 06h 36m 01s | +13° 26’ 29” | 31.22 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 30 | 06h 36m 24s | +13° 26’ 46” | 31.22 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 31 | 06h 36m 47s | +13° 27’ 03” | 31.23 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 01 | 06h 37m 10s | +13° 27’ 19” | 31.23 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 02 | 06h 37m 33s | +13° 27’ 33” | 31.24 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 03 | 06h 37m 56s | +13° 27’ 47” | 31.25 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 04 | 06h 38m 20s | +13° 28’ 00” | 31.25 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 05 | 06h 38m 43s | +13° 28’ 11” | 31.26 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 06 | 06h 39m 07s | +13° 28’ 21” | 31.26 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 07 | 06h 39m 31s | +13° 28’ 30” | 31.27 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 08 | 06h 39m 55s | +13° 28’ 38” | 31.28 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 09 | 06h 40m 19s | +13° 28’ 45” | 31.28 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 10 | 06h 40m 43s | +13° 28’ 51” | 31.29 | Gemini |
| 2025 Jun 11 | 06h 41m 07s | +13° 28’ 55” | 31.29 | Gemini |
Additional Resources on TheSkyLive
- Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS): Complete reference information on TheSkyLive.com.
- Where is Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS)?: Key information on locating Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) in the sky.
- Distance from Earth: Find out how far Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) is from Earth right now.
- How Bright is Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS)?: Current visual brightness (magnitude) and apparent size.
- Rise and Set Times: Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS)'s rise and set times from your location.
- Interactive Sky Map: planetarium-style interactive visualization of Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS)'s position in the sky.
- Live Position Tracker: high precision position tracker with deep space imagery.
- Ephemeris: 15 days Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS)'s computed ephemeris.
- Orbital elements: information about Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) orbital parameters.
- Orbit Visualization. 3d interactive visualization showing the orbit of Comet C/2021 K1 (ATLAS) with respect to the major Solar System objects.