C/2018 A6 (Gibbs)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	15 Mar 2019	13.9	3.183 AU	2.715 AU	08h49m	-60°38'	109.1°	17.2°	46°
Perihelion	11 Jul 2019	14.0	3.011 AU	3.068 AU	07h51m	-54°42'	77.2°	19.2°	172°
Today	7 Oct 2026	22.3	15.139 AU	14.509 AU	21h58m	+40°52'	127.6°	3.0°	120°

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)                : 0.7991400
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 3.0105280
    i (Inclination)                 : 77.21000
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 340.50890
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 264.20070
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 45.86419
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -75.97662
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458675.63320
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 58.03

    Epoch                           : 2026 Oct 07
    Reference                       : MPC194155

    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
2026-10-06 00:00 UT   21 59 01.4   +40 56 47    14.494   15.133  128.2    3.0   123   22.3 
2026-10-07 00:00 UT   21 58 46.7   +40 54 26    14.502   15.136  127.9    3.0   121   22.3 
2026-10-07 21:57 UT   21 58 33.6   +40 52 15    14.509   15.139  127.6    3.0   120   22.3 
2026-10-08 00:00 UT   21 58 32.4   +40 52 03    14.510   15.140  127.6    3.0   120   22.3 
2026-10-09 00:00 UT   21 58 18.3   +40 49 38    14.518   15.143  127.2    3.0   119   22.3 
2026-10-10 00:00 UT   21 58 04.5   +40 47 11    14.526   15.147  126.9    3.0   118   22.3 
2026-10-11 00:00 UT   21 57 51.1   +40 44 43    14.535   15.150  126.5    3.0   116   22.3 
2026-10-12 00:00 UT   21 57 37.9   +40 42 14    14.543   15.154  126.1    3.0   115   22.3 
2026-10-13 00:00 UT   21 57 25.0   +40 39 43    14.552   15.157  125.8    3.1   114   22.3 
2026-10-14 00:00 UT   21 57 12.4   +40 37 11    14.561   15.161  125.4    3.1   113   22.3 
2026-10-15 00:00 UT   21 57 00.2   +40 34 38    14.571   15.164  124.9    3.1   112   22.3 
2026-10-16 00:00 UT   21 56 48.2   +40 32 04    14.580   15.168  124.5    3.1   110   22.3 
2026-10-17 00:00 UT   21 56 36.6   +40 29 28    14.590   15.171  124.1    3.1   109   22.3 

    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.