C/2018 W2 (Africano)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	5 Sep 2019	10.2	1.465 AU	0.856 AU	02h47m	+52°33'	103.2°	42.1°	240°
Nearest approach	27 Sep 2019	9.1	1.497 AU	0.503 AU	23h56m	+14°10'	166.6°	8.9°	161°
Today	2 Feb 2026	30.2	18.074 AU	18.003 AU	12h42m	-57°36'	92.5°	3.1°	308°

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 8.5 + 5 log[∆] + 12.3 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 W2 (Africano) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0009650
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.4648030
    i (Inclination)                 : 116.50950
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 182.02660
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 158.25250
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 192.12240
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 19.36354
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458732.40350

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2021-P47

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-02-01 00:00 UT   12 42 57.7   -57 34 47    18.009   18.068   91.8    3.1   307   30.2 
2026-02-02 00:00 UT   12 42 45.5   -57 36 21    18.003   18.074   92.5    3.1   308   30.2 
2026-02-02 00:12 UT   12 42 45.4   -57 36 21    18.003   18.074   92.5    3.1   308   30.2 
2026-02-03 00:00 UT   12 42 32.9   -57 37 52    17.997   18.079   93.2    3.1   309   30.2 
2026-02-04 00:00 UT   12 42 20.0   -57 39 22    17.990   18.085   93.9    3.1   310   30.2 
2026-02-05 00:00 UT   12 42 06.7   -57 40 49    17.984   18.090   94.6    3.1   310   30.2 
2026-02-06 00:00 UT   12 41 53.1   -57 42 14    17.978   18.096   95.3    3.1   311   30.2 
2026-02-07 00:00 UT   12 41 39.0   -57 43 37    17.971   18.101   96.0    3.1   312   30.2 
2026-02-08 00:00 UT   12 41 24.7   -57 44 57    17.965   18.107   96.7    3.1   313   30.2 
2026-02-09 00:00 UT   12 41 10.0   -57 46 15    17.959   18.112   97.4    3.1   314   30.2 
2026-02-10 00:00 UT   12 40 54.9   -57 47 31    17.953   18.118   98.0    3.1   314   30.2 
2026-02-11 00:00 UT   12 40 39.6   -57 48 44    17.947   18.123   98.7    3.1   315   30.2 
2026-02-12 00:00 UT   12 40 23.8   -57 49 54    17.941   18.129   99.4    3.1   316   30.2 

    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.