C/2018 A6 (Gibbs)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	16 Mar 2019	13.9	3.188 AU	2.725 AU	08h48m	-60°58'	108.8°	17.2°	46°
Perihelion	10 Jul 2019	14.0	3.019 AU	3.071 AU	07h50m	-54°53'	77.5°	19.2°	172°
Today	20 Feb 2026	22.2	14.313 AU	14.995 AU	22h14m	+34°08'	45.0°	2.8°	360°

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 8.2 + 5 log[∆] + 7.0 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/2018 A6 (Gibbs) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.7988910
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.0186980
    i (Inclination)                 : 77.11040
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 340.41600
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 264.30930
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 46.34514
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -75.92956
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458674.97300
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 58.15

    Epoch                           : 2024 Jun 06
    Reference                       : MPEC 2024-KD0

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); Halley type (P < 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-02-19 00:00 UT   22 14 04.5   +34 05 53    14.980   14.306   45.6    2.8     2   22.2 
2026-02-20 00:00 UT   22 14 21.9   +34 07 28    14.988   14.310   45.2    2.8     1   22.2 
2026-02-20 20:50 UT   22 14 37.0   +34 08 53    14.995   14.313   45.0    2.8   360   22.2 
2026-02-21 00:00 UT   22 14 39.3   +34 09 06    14.996   14.313   44.9    2.8   360   22.2 
2026-02-22 00:00 UT   22 14 56.7   +34 10 47    15.004   14.317   44.6    2.8   358   22.2 
2026-02-23 00:00 UT   22 15 14.0   +34 12 30    15.012   14.321   44.3    2.8   357   22.2 
2026-02-24 00:00 UT   22 15 31.4   +34 14 16    15.020   14.324   44.0    2.8   356   22.2 
2026-02-25 00:00 UT   22 15 48.7   +34 16 05    15.027   14.328   43.7    2.7   354   22.2 
2026-02-26 00:00 UT   22 16 06.0   +34 17 56    15.034   14.332   43.5    2.7   353   22.2 
2026-02-27 00:00 UT   22 16 23.3   +34 19 50    15.041   14.336   43.2    2.7   352   22.2 
2026-02-28 00:00 UT   22 16 40.5   +34 21 47    15.048   14.339   43.0    2.7   351   22.2 
2026-03-01 00:00 UT   22 16 57.7   +34 23 45    15.054   14.343   42.8    2.7   349   22.2 
2026-03-02 00:00 UT   22 17 14.8   +34 25 47    15.061   14.347   42.6    2.7   348   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.