88P/Howell (0088P)

Type: Periodic Perihelion date: 18 March 2026 Perihelion distance (q): 1.4 Aphelion distance (Q) : 4.9 Period (years): 5.5 Eccentricity (e): 0.56 Inclination (i): 4.4 JPL orbit diagram COBS lightcurve Atlas The comet was discovered on 29 August 1981. In 1975 the comet's perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) was 1.9 AU, But a close approach to Jupiter in 1978 perturbed the perihelion distance closer to the Sun. Around 14 September 2031 the comet will pass 0.074 AU (11,100,000 km) from Mars. Observations (VEMag = visual equivalent magnitude) Date 10x10 mag Error VEmag Coma ' 22-Jul-15 14.77 0.03 11.3 0.5 09-Aug-15 15.01 0.02 11.5 0.4 17-Aug-15 14.92 0.04 12.1 1.6 25-Aug-15 15.00 0.02 11.8 0.9 08-Sep-15 15.25 0.01 12.1 0.7 16-Sep-15 15.32 0.01 12.1 0.5 23-Sep-15 15.34 0.01 12.2 0.6 08-Oct-15 15.32 0.01 12.1 0.7 20-Oct-15 15.21 0.01 12.1 0.9 02-Nov-15 15.36 0.00 12.2 1.0 09-Nov-15 15.69 0.01 12.2 0.8 16-Nov-15 15.92 0.01 11.9 0.6 03-Dec-15 16.49 0.01 13.0 0.7 10-Dec-15 16.65 0.01 13.4 0.6 29-Dec-19 19.24 0.22 18.7 0.3 23-Jan-20 18.16 0.06 16.5 0.3 01-Feb-20 17.85 0.14 17.0 0.3 04-Mar-20 17.21 0.03 16.3 0.5 24-Mar-20 16.44 0.03 15.1 0.5 01-Apr-20 16.07 0.01 14.9 0.7 22-May-20 15.69 0.01 13.3 1.2 09-Sep-21 18.6 0.4