88P/Howell
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	14 Sep 2025	16.8	2.282 AU	3.225 AU	12h33m	-01°20'	17.0°	7.4°	107°
Perihelion	18 Mar 2026	12.4	1.358 AU	1.990 AU	21h31m	-17°18'	38.4°	27.1°	248°
Nearest approach	10 Oct 2026	15.5	2.411 AU	1.498 AU	03h01m	+14°24'	149.3°	12.2°	258°

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.)

The orbital elements of 88P/Howell are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.5632350
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.3577260
            i (Inclination)                 : 4.38200
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 56.66910
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 235.87690
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 112.46806
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -3.62646
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2461118.28500
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 5.48

            Epoch                           : 2025 Sep 12
            Reference                       : MPEC 2025-R69

            Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
            Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.947
        

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC. The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (11.00 + 5 log[∆] + 15.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 8.91 + 5 log[∆] + 15.00 log[r]).

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.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.

The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.

A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Ephemerides:

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-09-14 00:00 UT   12 32 48.8   -01 18 52     3.226    2.283   17.1    7.4   107   16.8 
2025-09-14 03:08 UT   12 33 02.2   -01 20 26     3.225    2.282   17.0    7.4   107   16.8 
2025-09-15 00:00 UT   12 34 31.3   -01 30 49     3.222    2.276   16.6    7.2   106   16.8 
2025-09-16 00:00 UT   12 36 14.4   -01 42 50     3.219    2.270   16.1    7.0   106   16.8 
2025-09-17 00:00 UT   12 37 58.0   -01 54 52     3.215    2.263   15.6    6.9   106   16.8 
2025-09-18 00:00 UT   12 39 42.2   -02 06 57     3.212    2.257   15.1    6.7   106   16.7 
2025-09-19 00:00 UT   12 41 27.0   -02 19 05     3.208    2.250   14.6    6.5   105   16.7 
2025-09-20 00:00 UT   12 43 12.3   -02 31 15     3.204    2.243   14.1    6.3   105   16.7 
2025-09-21 00:00 UT   12 44 58.1   -02 43 28     3.200    2.237   13.6    6.1   105   16.7 
2025-09-22 00:00 UT   12 46 44.6   -02 55 43     3.196    2.230   13.1    5.9   105   16.7 
2025-09-23 00:00 UT   12 48 31.6   -03 07 60     3.192    2.224   12.6    5.7   104   16.6 
2025-09-24 00:00 UT   12 50 19.1   -03 20 19     3.188    2.217   12.2    5.5   104   16.6 

    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.