☄ 88P/Howell Comet Trajectory Simulator
Perihelion March 18, 2026 — Interactive orbital visualization • freeastroscience.com
Sun
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
88P/Howell
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
88P/Howell
17 Mar 2026
Perihelion: 18 Mar 2026
Current Ephemeris
Date17 Mar 2026
Magnitude10.9
Sun dist (r)1.358 AU
Earth dist (Δ)1.992 AU
RA21h 27m
Dec-17°34′
Elongation38.2°
Phase27.0°
Orbital Elements
e0.5633
q1.358 AU
i4.382°
Ω56.669°
ω235.865°
P5.48 yr
FamilyJupiter
TJ2.947
Ephemerides (Mar 2026)
| Date | Mag | r(AU) | Δ(AU) | Elong |
|---|
About 88P/Howell
Discovered on 29 August 1981 by astronomer Ellen Howell using the 46-cm Schmidt telescope at Palomar Observatory. This Jupiter-family comet has an orbital period of ~5.5 years and a nucleus ~4.4 km in diameter. A close encounter with Jupiter in 1978 altered its orbit to its present configuration. It is believed to originate from the Kuiper Belt.