C/2021 T2 (Fuls)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	8 Jun 2022	17.8	1.243 AU	1.471 AU	03h42m	-30°08'	56.5°	42.9°	203°
Nearest approach	6 Jul 2022	17.4	1.318 AU	1.138 AU	07h11m	-52°31'	75.2°	48.2°	178°
Today	15 Feb 2026	27.3	12.313 AU	11.865 AU	14h29m	+29°56'	114.8°	4.2°	271°

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. The light curve is estimated manually by the author. (16.5 + 5 log[∆] + 5.0 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 T2 (Fuls) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0005230
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.2431040
    i (Inclination)                 : 117.49650
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 223.19020
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 263.50190
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 147.04859
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -61.80447
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459738.92280

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2023-A50

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-02-14 00:00 UT   14 29 11.6   +29 49 47    11.873   12.303  113.7    4.2   272   27.3 
2026-02-15 00:00 UT   14 29 04.7   +29 54 08    11.868   12.309  114.4    4.2   271   27.3 
2026-02-15 15:23 UT   14 29 00.1   +29 56 56    11.865   12.313  114.8    4.2   271   27.3 
2026-02-16 00:00 UT   14 28 57.5   +29 58 30    11.864   12.316  115.1    4.2   270   27.3 
2026-02-17 00:00 UT   14 28 49.9   +30 02 51    11.860   12.322  115.8    4.1   269   27.3 
2026-02-18 00:00 UT   14 28 41.9   +30 07 13    11.856   12.329  116.5    4.1   269   27.3 
2026-02-19 00:00 UT   14 28 33.5   +30 11 35    11.852   12.336  117.2    4.1   268   27.3 
2026-02-20 00:00 UT   14 28 24.8   +30 15 56    11.848   12.342  117.9    4.1   267   27.3 
2026-02-21 00:00 UT   14 28 15.6   +30 20 18    11.845   12.349  118.6    4.0   266   27.3 
2026-02-22 00:00 UT   14 28 06.1   +30 24 39    11.841   12.355  119.2    4.0   265   27.3 
2026-02-23 00:00 UT   14 27 56.2   +30 28 60    11.838   12.362  119.9    4.0   264   27.3 
2026-02-24 00:00 UT   14 27 46.0   +30 33 20    11.835   12.368  120.6    3.9   263   27.3 
2026-02-25 00:00 UT   14 27 35.4   +30 37 40    11.832   12.375  121.2    3.9   262   27.3 

    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.