On March 18, 2026, the comet 88P/Howell will reach its perihelion—its closest point to the Sun—offering yet another interesting astronomical phenomenon. However, despite its proximity, observing it will not be easy for most residents of the Northern Hemisphere.
88P/Howell is a short-period comet of the Jupiter family, completing one orbit around the Sun approximately every 5.5 years. Discovered in 1981 by American astronomer Ellen Howell, it features a nucleus about 4.5 kilometers in diameter. Like all comets, it is composed of ice, dust, and frozen gases—which is why it is often referred to as a "dirty snowball."
During this year's passage, the comet will be at a distance of about 203 million kilometers from the Sun. Although scientists initially estimated it would become relatively bright (magnitude +10), recent observations show it is much fainter, reaching between +14.5 and +16. This makes it practically invisible to the naked eye.
Even for amateur telescopes, observation is extremely difficult and requires ideal conditions. In practice, the comet will be visible primarily from the Southern Hemisphere and only with telescopes. In northern regions—including Russia and Europe—its observation is almost impossible. There are three reasons for this:
First, its very low position on the horizon, below 5 degrees, makes its image blurry due to the atmosphere. Second, its low luminosity makes it nearly "invisible" even with powerful instruments. And third, observation occurs during dawn, when the brightening sky reduces contrast. Simply put, this is a comet that "exists," but we will hardly see it.
Comets worth seeing in 2026
Despite the disappointment with 88P/Howell, 2026 is expected to be rich in impressive celestial events. The comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS), which will reach perihelion on April 4, is considered particularly unpredictable. If it survives its close passage by the Sun, it could become exceptionally bright—even visible to the naked eye or during the day. The best observation conditions will be in the Southern Hemisphere.
Even more promising is the comet C/2025 R3 PanSTARRS, which is expected to become visible with binoculars and perhaps the naked eye if its brightness increases more than expected. The best observation period will be from late April to early May. Finally, the periodic comet 10P/Tempel 2 will appear in the summer of 2026 and will be one of the "easiest" targets for amateur astronomers, as it will be visible from both hemispheres with simple equipment.
88P/Howell may be passing close to the Sun, but it is not the phenomenon that will capture the public's attention. 2026, however, has much more impressive "visitors" to offer for those who look at the sky.
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