C/2018 W2 (Africano)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	5 Sep 2019	10.2	1.465 AU	0.858 AU	02h47m	+52°31'	103.2°	42.1°	240°
Nearest approach	27 Sep 2019	9.1	1.497 AU	0.504 AU	23h56m	+14°07'	166.7°	8.9°	161°
Today	16 Sep 2025	30.0	17.307 AU	17.837 AU	12h21m	-53°38'	56.8°	2.8°	167°

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 W2 (Africano) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0009610
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.4651810
            i (Inclination)                 : 116.52020
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 182.00930
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 158.24890
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 192.11061
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 19.36484
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458732.32830

            Epoch                           : 2025 Sep 16
            Reference                       : MPEC 2021-P47

            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 (9.50 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 8.47 + 5 log[∆] + 12.34 log[r]).

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
2025-09-16 00:00 UT   12 20 59.2   -53 38 22    17.824   17.301   57.2    2.8   166   30.0 
2025-09-16 23:17 UT   12 21 18.6   -53 38 23    17.837   17.307   56.8    2.8   167   30.0 
2025-09-17 00:00 UT   12 21 19.2   -53 38 23    17.837   17.307   56.7    2.8   167   30.0 
2025-09-18 00:00 UT   12 21 39.1   -53 38 26    17.850   17.313   56.3    2.8   168   30.0 
2025-09-19 00:00 UT   12 21 59.2   -53 38 32    17.863   17.318   55.8    2.7   169   30.0 
2025-09-20 00:00 UT   12 22 19.2   -53 38 41    17.875   17.324   55.3    2.7   170   30.0 
2025-09-21 00:00 UT   12 22 39.3   -53 38 52    17.888   17.329   54.8    2.7   171   30.0 
2025-09-22 00:00 UT   12 22 59.5   -53 39 06    17.900   17.335   54.4    2.7   172   30.0 
2025-09-23 00:00 UT   12 23 19.6   -53 39 22    17.912   17.341   53.9    2.7   173   30.0 
2025-09-24 00:00 UT   12 23 39.8   -53 39 41    17.924   17.346   53.5    2.7   174   30.0 
2025-09-25 00:00 UT   12 23 59.9   -53 40 02    17.936   17.352   53.1    2.6   175   30.0 
2025-09-26 00:00 UT   12 24 20.1   -53 40 26    17.947   17.357   52.6    2.6   176   30.0 

    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.