C/2010 U3 (Boattini)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	27 Jan 2019	17.9	8.444 AU	7.926 AU	11h53m	+73°26'	118.8°	5.9°	235°
Perihelion	1 Mar 2019	17.9	8.442 AU	8.003 AU	11h27m	+74°27'	113.1°	6.2°	191°
Today	16 Mar 2026	22.2	16.401 AU	15.715 AU	14h48m	-12°57'	132.3°	2.6°	284°

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 4.1 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 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/2010 U3 (Boattini) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0003460
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 8.4416350
    i (Inclination)                 : 55.52280
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 42.99510
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 88.11880
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 129.67441
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 55.47786
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458543.54730

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 16
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-03-15 00:00 UT   14 48 23.4   -12 57 58    15.731   16.393  130.4    2.6   285   22.2 
2026-03-16 00:00 UT   14 48 15.0   -12 57 59    15.722   16.398  131.4    2.6   284   22.2 
2026-03-16 21:01 UT   14 48 07.5   -12 57 60    15.715   16.401  132.3    2.6   284   22.2 
2026-03-17 00:00 UT   14 48 06.4   -12 57 60    15.714   16.402  132.4    2.6   284   22.2 
2026-03-18 00:00 UT   14 47 57.6   -12 57 60    15.705   16.406  133.5    2.5   284   22.2 
2026-03-19 00:00 UT   14 47 48.6   -12 57 59    15.697   16.410  134.5    2.5   284   22.2 
2026-03-20 00:00 UT   14 47 39.4   -12 57 57    15.689   16.414  135.5    2.4   284   22.2 
2026-03-21 00:00 UT   14 47 30.1   -12 57 55    15.681   16.418  136.5    2.4   284   22.2 
2026-03-22 00:00 UT   14 47 20.5   -12 57 52    15.673   16.423  137.6    2.3   284   22.2 
2026-03-23 00:00 UT   14 47 10.8   -12 57 48    15.666   16.427  138.6    2.3   284   22.2 
2026-03-24 00:00 UT   14 47 00.8   -12 57 43    15.659   16.431  139.6    2.3   284   22.2 
2026-03-25 00:00 UT   14 46 50.7   -12 57 38    15.652   16.435  140.7    2.2   284   22.2 
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   14 46 40.4   -12 57 33    15.645   16.439  141.7    2.2   284   22.2 

    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.