C/2024 L5 (ATLAS)

Type: Hyperbolic Perihelion date: 10 March 2025 Perihelion distance (q): 3.4 Aphelion distance (Q) : n/a Period (years): n/a Eccentricity (e): 1.04 Inclination (i): 166.6 JPL orbit diagram COBS lightcurve Atlas The ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) team discovered an 18th magnitude object in images taken with the 0.5 m Schmidt at Sutherland, South Africa on 14 June 2024. It was initially reported as asteroidal, but found to be a comet in follow up observations by Hirohisa Sato two days later. It has a highly hyperbolic orbit following a passage 0.0049 au from Saturn in January 2022. Prior to the close encounter, the comet was at perihelion in July 1883 at 7.2 au and had a period of 145 years. The comet will pass 0.60 au from Jupiter in August 2026. Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude) Date 10x10 mag Error VEmag Coma ' 29-Jan-25 17.0 0.4 25-Feb-25 16.0 0.4 05-Mar-25 15.8 0.4 22-Mar-25 15.3 0.6 29-Mar-25 15.7 0.4 05-Apr-25 15.5 0.4 19-Apr-25 15.8 0.4 29-Apr-25 16.0 0.4