38P/Stephan-Oterma
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	14 Nov 2018	10.1	1.582 AU	0.820 AU	07h24m	+21°46'	121.7°	32.2°	278°
Nearest approach	15 Dec 2018	10.1	1.633 AU	0.732 AU	08h10m	+34°49'	143.8°	20.9°	262°
Today	23 Mar 2026	30.3	15.324 AU	14.785 AU	16h03m	-14°05'	121.1°	3.2°	277°

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 7.8 + 5 log[∆] + 14.1 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 38P/Stephan-Oterma are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.8596170
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.5824950
    i (Inclination)                 : 18.40650
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 77.87060
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 359.61950
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 77.50957
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -0.12014
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458436.52630
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 37.85

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 16
    Reference                       : MPC191595

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-03-22 00:00 UT   16 03 57.5   -14 06 52    14.809   15.318  119.1    3.3   278   30.3 
2026-03-23 00:00 UT   16 03 51.5   -14 06 19    14.797   15.321  120.1    3.2   277   30.3 
2026-03-23 23:54 UT   16 03 45.2   -14 05 45    14.785   15.324  121.1    3.2   277   30.3 
2026-03-24 00:00 UT   16 03 45.2   -14 05 45    14.785   15.324  121.1    3.2   277   30.3 
2026-03-25 00:00 UT   16 03 38.6   -14 05 10    14.774   15.327  122.1    3.2   277   30.3 
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   16 03 31.8   -14 04 36    14.762   15.330  123.1    3.1   277   30.3 
2026-03-27 00:00 UT   16 03 24.7   -14 04 00    14.751   15.333  124.1    3.1   277   30.3 
2026-03-28 00:00 UT   16 03 17.4   -14 03 24    14.740   15.336  125.1    3.1   277   30.3 
2026-03-29 00:00 UT   16 03 09.9   -14 02 48    14.729   15.339  126.1    3.0   276   30.3 
2026-03-30 00:00 UT   16 03 02.1   -14 02 11    14.718   15.342  127.1    3.0   276   30.3 
2026-03-31 00:00 UT   16 02 54.1   -14 01 34    14.707   15.345  128.2    2.9   276   30.3 
2026-04-01 00:00 UT   16 02 45.8   -14 00 56    14.697   15.348  129.2    2.9   276   30.3 
2026-04-02 00:00 UT   16 02 37.3   -14 00 18    14.686   15.350  130.2    2.9   276   30.3 

    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.