Where Is Comet 88P/Howell Now? Interactive Orbit Simulator

☄ 88P/Howell Comet Trajectory Simulator

Perihelion March 18, 2026 — Interactive orbital visualization • freeastroscience.com

Sun Mercury Venus Earth Mars 88P/Howell

Date & Time Control

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

T_J2.947

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.

Data: MPEC 2026-EC7 • Orbital calculations based on Keplerian mechanics • freeastroscience.com