C/2021 O1 (Nishimura)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	6 Aug 2021	9.4	0.799 AU	1.687 AU	08h11m	+30°57'	19.0°	24.4°	316°
Perihelion	14 Aug 2021	9.3	0.783 AU	1.701 AU	09h07m	+28°54'	16.4°	21.4°	333°
Today	7 Feb 2026	26.7	14.540 AU	15.123 AU	17h54m	-42°37'	52.2°	3.1°	255°

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)                : 0.9998840
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.7827140
    i (Inclination)                 : 27.55740
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 41.51200
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 74.45830
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 114.09545
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 26.46948
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459441.44670
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 554265.27

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2022-A21

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-02-06 00:00 UT   17 53 43.1   -42 35 31    15.132   14.531   50.8    3.0   254   26.7 
2026-02-07 00:00 UT   17 53 58.8   -42 36 39    15.126   14.537   51.7    3.1   255   26.7 
2026-02-07 12:28 UT   17 54 06.8   -42 37 14    15.123   14.540   52.2    3.1   255   26.7 
2026-02-08 00:00 UT   17 54 14.2   -42 37 47    15.120   14.543   52.6    3.1   255   26.7 
2026-02-09 00:00 UT   17 54 29.4   -42 38 56    15.114   14.549   53.5    3.1   256   26.7 
2026-02-10 00:00 UT   17 54 44.3   -42 40 06    15.107   14.555   54.4    3.2   256   26.7 
2026-02-11 00:00 UT   17 54 58.9   -42 41 17    15.101   14.562   55.3    3.2   257   26.7 
2026-02-12 00:00 UT   17 55 13.2   -42 42 28    15.094   14.568   56.2    3.2   257   26.7 
2026-02-13 00:00 UT   17 55 27.3   -42 43 40    15.087   14.574   57.0    3.3   257   26.7 
2026-02-14 00:00 UT   17 55 41.1   -42 44 53    15.080   14.580   57.9    3.3   258   26.7 
2026-02-15 00:00 UT   17 55 54.5   -42 46 07    15.073   14.586   58.8    3.3   258   26.8 
2026-02-16 00:00 UT   17 56 07.7   -42 47 21    15.065   14.593   59.7    3.4   259   26.8 
2026-02-17 00:00 UT   17 56 20.6   -42 48 36    15.057   14.599   60.6    3.4   259   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.