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°29'	103.1°	42.1°	240°
Nearest approach	27 Sep 2019	9.1	1.497 AU	0.504 AU	23h56m	+14°04'	166.7°	8.8°	161°
Today	26 Jul 2025	29.8	17.009 AU	17.009 AU	12h06m	-54°37'	88.2°	3.4°	128°

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)                : 1.0009510
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.4653450
            i (Inclination)                 : 116.53010
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 181.99290
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 158.24260
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 192.10079
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 19.36865
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458732.26100

            Epoch                           : 2025 Jul 24
            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
2025-07-26 00:00 UT   12 06 28.4   -54 37 35    17.008   17.008   88.3    3.4   128   29.8 
2025-07-26 02:05 UT   12 06 29.4   -54 37 24    17.009   17.009   88.2    3.4   128   29.8 
2025-07-27 00:00 UT   12 06 40.2   -54 35 22    17.025   17.014   87.7    3.4   129   29.8 
2025-07-28 00:00 UT   12 06 52.2   -54 33 10    17.042   17.020   87.0    3.4   130   29.8 
2025-07-29 00:00 UT   12 07 04.5   -54 31 01    17.059   17.025   86.4    3.4   130   29.8 
2025-07-30 00:00 UT   12 07 17.1   -54 28 55    17.076   17.031   85.7    3.4   131   29.8 
2025-07-31 00:00 UT   12 07 29.9   -54 26 51    17.093   17.037   85.1    3.4   132   29.8 
2025-08-01 00:00 UT   12 07 43.0   -54 24 49    17.110   17.042   84.4    3.4   132   29.8 
2025-08-02 00:00 UT   12 07 56.3   -54 22 50    17.127   17.048   83.8    3.4   133   29.8 
2025-08-03 00:00 UT   12 08 09.9   -54 20 53    17.144   17.054   83.2    3.4   134   29.8 
2025-08-04 00:00 UT   12 08 23.7   -54 18 59    17.161   17.059   82.5    3.4   134   29.9 
2025-08-05 00:00 UT   12 08 37.7   -54 17 08    17.178   17.065   81.9    3.4   135   29.9 

    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.