Comet C/2024 A1 (ATLAS)
Comet C/2024 A1 (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/2024 A1 (ATLAS) is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet C/2024 A1 (ATLAS)?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet C/2024 A1 (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/2024 A1 (ATLAS) from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- C/2024 A1 (ATLAS) is below the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Given its current magnitude, C/2024 A1 (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/2024 A1 (ATLAS) from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Comet C/2024 A1 (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/2024 A1 (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/2024 A1 (ATLAS) to Earth happens on Tue Jan 28 2025 at a distance of 3.283091 Astronomical Units, or 491,143,397 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/2024 A1 (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/2024 A1 (ATLAS) at epoch 08 January 2024 00:00 UTC (JD: 2460318.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
| Element | Symbol | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit eccentricity | e | 0.99073796 |
| Orbit inclination | i | 94.42733657° |
| Perihelion distance | q | 3.87936419 AU 580,344,623 km |
| Aphelion distance | Q |
833.81158002 AU 124,736,437,186 km |
| Semi-major axis | a |
418.84547210 AU 62,658,390,905 km |
| Orbital period | period |
8,572.1338 years 3,130,971.8590 days |
| Date of perihelion transit | Tp | 2025-Jun-15 17:16:18 2,460,842.2197 JD |
| Argument of perihelion | peri | 353.3907819592° |
| Longitude of the ascending node | node | 112.23057050643° |
| Mean anomaly | M | 359.93978257021° |
| Mean motion | n | 0.00011498°/day |
View Comet C/2024 A1 (ATLAS) in the 3D Solar System Simulator
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet C/2024 A1 (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 16 | 06h 49m 41s | +12° 25’ 00” | 16.36 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 17 | 06h 50m 19s | +12° 35’ 19” | 16.37 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 18 | 06h 50m 57s | +12° 45’ 34” | 16.37 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 19 | 06h 51m 36s | +12° 55’ 43” | 16.38 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 20 | 06h 52m 16s | +13° 05’ 45” | 16.38 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 21 | 06h 52m 56s | +13° 15’ 42” | 16.39 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 22 | 06h 53m 36s | +13° 25’ 33” | 16.39 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 23 | 06h 54m 18s | +13° 35’ 18” | 16.40 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 24 | 06h 54m 59s | +13° 44’ 57” | 16.40 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 25 | 06h 55m 41s | +13° 54’ 32” | 16.41 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 26 | 06h 56m 23s | +14° 04’ 00” | 16.41 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 27 | 06h 57m 05s | +14° 13’ 24” | 16.41 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 28 | 06h 57m 48s | +14° 22’ 41” | 16.42 | Gemini |
| 2025 May 29 | 06h 58m 31s | +14° 31’ 54” | 16.42 | Gemini |
Additional Resources on TheSkyLive
- Comet C/2024 A1 (ATLAS): Complete reference information on TheSkyLive.com.
- Where is Comet C/2024 A1 (ATLAS)?: Key information on locating Comet C/2024 A1 (ATLAS) in the sky.
- Distance from Earth: Find out how far Comet C/2024 A1 (ATLAS) is from Earth right now.
- How Bright is Comet C/2024 A1 (ATLAS)?: Current visual brightness (magnitude) and apparent size.
- Rise and Set Times: Comet C/2024 A1 (ATLAS)'s rise and set times from your location.
- Interactive Sky Map: planetarium-style interactive visualization of Comet C/2024 A1 (ATLAS)'s position in the sky.
- Live Position Tracker: high precision position tracker with deep space imagery.
- Ephemeris: 15 days Comet C/2024 A1 (ATLAS)'s computed ephemeris.
- Orbital elements: information about Comet C/2024 A1 (ATLAS) orbital parameters.
- Orbit Visualization. 3d interactive visualization showing the orbit of Comet C/2024 A1 (ATLAS) with respect to the major Solar System objects.