C/2018 V1 (Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	27 Nov 2018	9.8	0.430 AU	0.665 AU	15h49m	-01°35'	20.2°	127.5°	345°
Perihelion	3 Dec 2018	10.0	0.391 AU	0.768 AU	17h38m	-05°58'	21.5°	112.4°	40°
Today	5 Feb 2025	34.0	18.580 AU	18.801 AU	15h27m	-53°34'	75.6°	2.9°	277°

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.)

The orbital elements of C/2018 V1 (Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0004510
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.3913790
            i (Inclination)                 : 144.19190
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 129.55180
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 89.54480
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 40.11309
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 35.80680
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458456.33130

            Epoch                           : 2025 Feb 04
            Reference                       : MPC114604

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

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC. The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (12.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 14.92 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]). The additional green curve shows the effect of forward scattering, occurring when the comet is between the earth and the sun, for a gas-to-dust light ratio δ90 of 0.30. (See Marcus 2007)

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.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.

The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.

A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Ephemerides:

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-02-05 00:00 UT   15 27 54.7   -53 33 50    18.805   18.578   75.2    2.9   277   34.0 
2025-02-05 11:42 UT   15 27 55.5   -53 34 45    18.801   18.580   75.6    2.9   277   34.0 
2025-02-06 00:00 UT   15 27 56.3   -53 35 43    18.797   18.583   76.0    3.0   278   34.0 
2025-02-07 00:00 UT   15 27 57.6   -53 37 35    18.789   18.589   76.8    3.0   278   34.0 
2025-02-08 00:00 UT   15 27 58.5   -53 39 27    18.780   18.595   77.6    3.0   279   34.0 
2025-02-09 00:00 UT   15 27 59.0   -53 41 18    18.772   18.600   78.5    3.0   279   34.0 
2025-02-10 00:00 UT   15 27 59.2   -53 43 09    18.763   18.606   79.3    3.0   280   34.0 
2025-02-11 00:00 UT   15 27 59.1   -53 44 60    18.755   18.611   80.1    3.0   280   34.0 
2025-02-12 00:00 UT   15 27 58.5   -53 46 50    18.746   18.617   81.0    3.0   281   34.0 
2025-02-13 00:00 UT   15 27 57.7   -53 48 39    18.737   18.623   81.8    3.0   282   34.0 
2025-02-14 00:00 UT   15 27 56.4   -53 50 28    18.729   18.628   82.6    3.0   282   34.0 
2025-02-15 00:00 UT   15 27 54.8   -53 52 17    18.720   18.634   83.5    3.0   283   34.0 

    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.