38P/Stephan-Oterma
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	14 Nov 2018	6.8	1.582 AU	0.820 AU	07h24m	+21°46'	121.7°	32.2°	278°
Nearest approach	15 Dec 2018	7.0	1.633 AU	0.732 AU	08h10m	+34°49'	143.8°	20.9°	262°
Today	16 Mar 2026	42.7	15.302 AU	14.877 AU	16h04m	-14°09'	113.6°	3.4°	278°

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 1.3 + 5 log[∆] + 30.0 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 38P/Stephan-Oterma are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.8596180
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.5824810
    i (Inclination)                 : 18.40660
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 77.87050
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 359.61950
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 77.50947
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -0.12015
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458436.52650
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 37.85

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 15
    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
2026-03-15 00:00 UT   16 04 32.6   -14 10 30    14.897   15.297  112.0    3.5   279   42.7 
2026-03-16 00:00 UT   16 04 28.4   -14 10 01    14.884   15.300  113.0    3.4   278   42.7 
2026-03-16 13:07 UT   16 04 26.0   -14 09 44    14.877   15.302  113.6    3.4   278   42.7 
2026-03-17 00:00 UT   16 04 23.9   -14 09 31    14.871   15.303  114.0    3.4   278   42.7 
2026-03-18 00:00 UT   16 04 19.2   -14 09 00    14.859   15.306  115.0    3.4   278   42.7 
2026-03-19 00:00 UT   16 04 14.2   -14 08 29    14.846   15.309  116.0    3.3   278   42.7 
2026-03-20 00:00 UT   16 04 08.9   -14 07 57    14.834   15.312  117.0    3.3   278   42.7 
2026-03-21 00:00 UT   16 04 03.3   -14 07 25    14.821   15.315  118.1    3.3   278   42.7 
2026-03-22 00:00 UT   16 03 57.5   -14 06 52    14.809   15.318  119.1    3.3   278   42.7 
2026-03-23 00:00 UT   16 03 51.5   -14 06 19    14.797   15.321  120.1    3.2   277   42.7 
2026-03-24 00:00 UT   16 03 45.2   -14 05 45    14.785   15.324  121.1    3.2   277   42.7 
2026-03-25 00:00 UT   16 03 38.6   -14 05 11    14.774   15.327  122.1    3.2   277   42.7 
2026-03-26 00:00 UT   16 03 31.8   -14 04 36    14.762   15.330  123.1    3.1   277   42.7 

    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.