C/2021 O1 (Nishimura)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	6 Aug 2021	9.4	0.800 AU	1.687 AU	08h11m	+30°57'	19.0°	24.4°	316°
Perihelion	15 Aug 2021	9.3	0.783 AU	1.700 AU	09h07m	+28°53'	16.4°	21.4°	333°
Today	18 Mar 2026	26.8	14.790 AU	14.798 AU	18h00m	-43°28'	87.6°	3.9°	269°

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 9.2 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 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/2021 O1 (Nishimura) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0002380
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.7829610
    i (Inclination)                 : 27.53720
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 41.51090
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 74.46710
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 114.10709
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 26.45142
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459441.58020

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 16
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-03-17 00:00 UT   17 59 58.7   -43 25 58    14.812   14.782   86.3    3.9   269   26.8 
2026-03-18 00:00 UT   18 00 01.7   -43 27 27    14.802   14.788   87.2    3.9   269   26.8 
2026-03-18 10:02 UT   18 00 02.8   -43 28 04    14.798   14.790   87.6    3.9   269   26.8 
2026-03-19 00:00 UT   18 00 04.2   -43 28 55    14.792   14.794   88.1    3.9   269   26.8 
2026-03-20 00:00 UT   18 00 06.4   -43 30 24    14.782   14.800   89.1    3.9   270   26.8 
2026-03-21 00:00 UT   18 00 08.2   -43 31 53    14.772   14.806   90.0    3.9   270   26.8 
2026-03-22 00:00 UT   18 00 09.6   -43 33 22    14.762   14.812   90.9    3.9   270   26.8 
2026-03-23 00:00 UT   18 00 10.6   -43 34 52    14.752   14.819   91.9    3.9   271   26.8 
2026-03-24 00:00 UT   18 00 11.2   -43 36 21    14.742   14.825   92.8    3.9   271   26.8 
2026-03-25 00:00 UT   18 00 11.5   -43 37 50    14.732   14.831   93.7    3.8   271   26.8 
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   18 00 11.4   -43 39 20    14.722   14.837   94.6    3.8   272   26.8 
2026-03-27 00:00 UT   18 00 10.9   -43 40 49    14.713   14.843   95.6    3.8   272   26.8 
2026-03-28 00:00 UT   18 00 10.0   -43 42 18    14.703   14.849   96.5    3.8   272   26.8 

    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.