C/2018 V1 (Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	27 Nov 2018	9.9	0.430 AU	0.664 AU	15h50m	-01°49'	20.2°	127.7°	344°
Perihelion	4 Dec 2018	10.2	0.390 AU	0.771 AU	17h41m	-06°09'	21.5°	112.0°	40°
Today	23 Jan 2026	34.8	20.510 AU	20.891 AU	15h19m	-53°06'	66.0°	2.5°	271°

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 15.1 + 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/2018 V1 (Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0004740
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.3897120
    i (Inclination)                 : 144.21520
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 129.68370
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 89.62140
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 40.15040
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 35.78390
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458457.06290

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPC114604

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-01-22 00:00 UT   15 19 41.9   -53 03 37    20.902   20.502   64.7    2.5   270   34.8 
2026-01-23 00:00 UT   15 19 47.4   -53 05 21    20.895   20.507   65.5    2.5   270   34.8 
2026-01-23 13:57 UT   15 19 50.4   -53 06 21    20.891   20.510   66.0    2.5   271   34.8 
2026-01-24 00:00 UT   15 19 52.5   -53 07 05    20.888   20.512   66.3    2.5   271   34.8 
2026-01-25 00:00 UT   15 19 57.3   -53 08 49    20.880   20.518   67.1    2.5   272   34.8 
2026-01-26 00:00 UT   15 20 01.9   -53 10 33    20.873   20.523   67.9    2.5   272   34.8 
2026-01-27 00:00 UT   15 20 06.1   -53 12 17    20.865   20.528   68.7    2.6   273   34.8 
2026-01-28 00:00 UT   15 20 10.0   -53 14 01    20.857   20.534   69.5    2.6   274   34.8 
2026-01-29 00:00 UT   15 20 13.6   -53 15 45    20.849   20.539   70.3    2.6   274   34.8 
2026-01-30 00:00 UT   15 20 17.0   -53 17 29    20.841   20.544   71.1    2.6   275   34.8 
2026-01-31 00:00 UT   15 20 20.0   -53 19 13    20.833   20.550   71.9    2.6   275   34.8 
2026-02-01 00:00 UT   15 20 22.7   -53 20 56    20.825   20.555   72.8    2.6   276   34.8 
2026-02-02 00:00 UT   15 20 25.0   -53 22 39    20.817   20.560   73.6    2.6   277   34.8 

    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.