C/2018 W2 (Africano)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	5 Sep 2019	10.2	1.465 AU	0.863 AU	02h48m	+52°24'	102.8°	42.2°	240°
Nearest approach	27 Sep 2019	9.2	1.498 AU	0.504 AU	23h57m	+13°52'	166.9°	8.7°	162°
Today	9 May 2024	28.5	14.414 AU	13.798 AU	12h07m	-61°36'	125.9°	3.3°	56°

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)                : 1.0008220
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.4649690
            i (Inclination)                 : 116.59470
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 181.88000
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 158.17560
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 192.04395
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 19.41628
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458731.87720

            Epoch                           : 2024 May 08
            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[∆] + 12.35 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
2024-05-09 00:00 UT   12 07 13.5   -61 37 58    13.796   14.412  125.9    3.3    55   28.5 
2024-05-09 07:06 UT   12 07 06.9   -61 36 50    13.798   14.414  125.9    3.3    56   28.5 
2024-05-10 00:00 UT   12 06 51.4   -61 34 09    13.804   14.418  125.8    3.3    57   28.5 
2024-05-11 00:00 UT   12 06 29.8   -61 30 19    13.812   14.424  125.6    3.3    58   28.5 
2024-05-12 00:00 UT   12 06 08.7   -61 26 27    13.820   14.430  125.5    3.3    59   28.5 
2024-05-13 00:00 UT   12 05 48.1   -61 22 33    13.828   14.436  125.3    3.3    61   28.5 
2024-05-14 00:00 UT   12 05 28.1   -61 18 38    13.837   14.442  125.1    3.3    62   28.5 
2024-05-15 00:00 UT   12 05 08.6   -61 14 41    13.846   14.448  124.9    3.3    63   28.5 
2024-05-16 00:00 UT   12 04 49.7   -61 10 43    13.855   14.454  124.6    3.3    64   28.5 
2024-05-17 00:00 UT   12 04 31.3   -61 06 43    13.864   14.461  124.4    3.3    66   28.5 
2024-05-18 00:00 UT   12 04 13.5   -61 02 42    13.874   14.467  124.2    3.3    67   28.5 
2024-05-19 00:00 UT   12 03 56.2   -60 58 40    13.884   14.473  123.9    3.3    68   28.5 

    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.