C/2018 V1 (Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	28 Nov 2018	9.9	0.429 AU	0.663 AU	15h51m	-01°57'	20.1°	127.8°	344°
Perihelion	4 Dec 2018	10.2	0.389 AU	0.772 AU	17h42m	-06°15'	21.5°	111.9°	40°
Today	9 Mar 2026	34.8	20.738 AU	20.487 AU	15h18m	-54°17'	103.3°	2.7°	298°

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 15.1 + 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/2018 V1 (Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0003660
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.3887700
    i (Inclination)                 : 144.22370
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 129.71820
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 89.63360
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 40.16981
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 35.77546
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458457.37900

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 09
    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
2026-03-08 00:00 UT   15 18 23.1   -54 15 06    20.502   20.729  101.8    2.7   297   34.8 
2026-03-09 00:00 UT   15 18 13.9   -54 16 22    20.493   20.734  102.7    2.7   297   34.8 
2026-03-09 18:16 UT   15 18 06.8   -54 17 19    20.487   20.738  103.3    2.7   298   34.8 
2026-03-10 00:00 UT   15 18 04.5   -54 17 37    20.485   20.740  103.5    2.7   298   34.8 
2026-03-11 00:00 UT   15 17 54.8   -54 18 51    20.476   20.745  104.3    2.7   298   34.8 
2026-03-12 00:00 UT   15 17 44.7   -54 20 03    20.468   20.750  105.1    2.6   299   34.8 
2026-03-13 00:00 UT   15 17 34.3   -54 21 13    20.460   20.755  106.0    2.6   300   34.8 
2026-03-14 00:00 UT   15 17 23.6   -54 22 23    20.452   20.761  106.8    2.6   300   34.8 
2026-03-15 00:00 UT   15 17 12.6   -54 23 30    20.443   20.766  107.6    2.6   301   34.8 
2026-03-16 00:00 UT   15 17 01.3   -54 24 37    20.436   20.771  108.4    2.6   302   34.8 
2026-03-17 00:00 UT   15 16 49.7   -54 25 41    20.428   20.777  109.2    2.6   302   34.8 
2026-03-18 00:00 UT   15 16 37.9   -54 26 44    20.420   20.782  110.0    2.6   303   34.8 
2026-03-19 00:00 UT   15 16 25.7   -54 27 46    20.412   20.787  110.8    2.6   304   34.8 

    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.