Comet 141P/Machholz
Comet 141P/Machholz is in the constellation of
Ophiuchus,
at a distance of
Finder Charts
View interactive star map
High precision deep sky finder chart, 60 arcmin wide, showing where Comet 141P/Machholz is right now. Click on the image to see a more detailed fullscreen tracker view.
Also check out Where is Comet 141P/Machholz?, a page that provides all the information needed to find Comet 141P/Machholz in the sky and additional links to sky charts.
Celestial Coordinates
Apparent
J2000
Additional Information
The observed values of Magnitude, Coma Diameter and Tail Length are derived from the most recent observation recorded at the Comet Observers Database. The value of Predicted Magnitude comes from the JPL Horizons ephemerides service and, in the case of comets, might be inaccurate given the highly dynamic and unpredictable behavior of these objects. When available, please refer to the Observed Magnitude value and consider the Predicted Magnitude as a directional indication. We acknowledge with thanks the comet observations from the COBS Comet Observation Database contributed by observers worldwide and used in this table to report recent comet observations.
Rise and Set Times
Today's rise, transit and set times of Comet 141P/Machholz from Greenwich, UK (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
- 141P/Machholz is above the horizon from Greenwich, UK.
- Right now it is placed in the South-East direction at an altitude of 4.59° above the horizon.
- Given its current magnitude, 141P/Machholz is visible only through long exposure photography.
- Go to interactive sky chart
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Distance from Earth
The distance of Comet 141P/Machholz from Earth is currently
The following chart shows the distance of Comet 141P/Machholz from Earth as a function of time. In the chart the distance data is measured in Astronomical Units and sampled with an interval of 1 day.
The value of the reported distance might be somewhat inaccurate around the times of closest approach for objects passing extremely close to Earth. The value of the distance of 141P/Machholz from Earth is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Closest Approach
Between 1 January 2013 and 30 December 2100, the closest approach of Comet 141P/Machholz to Earth happens on Mon Dec 17 2057 at a distance of 0.125073 Astronomical Units, or 18,710,613 kilometers:
NOTE: values for the closest approach are computed with a sampling interval of 1 day.
Light Curve
The following chart is the predicted light curve (visual magnitude as a function of time) of Comet 141P/Machholz, according to the most recent ephemerides data. Magnitude data is sampled with a 2 days interval and there might be inaccuracies for objects changing brightness very rapidly during the course of a few days. For comets there could be large discrepancies between the observed and predicted brightness because of their highly dynamic behaviour.
15 Days Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet 141P/Machholz computed for the past and next 7 days, with a 24 hours interval. Apparent celestial coordinates are provided.
| Date | Right AscensionR.A. | DeclinationDec. | MagnitudeMag | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 May 05 | 17h 01m 50s | -20° 46’ 07” | 24.89 | Ophiuchus |
| 2025 May 06 | 17h 01m 07s | -20° 43’ 03” | 24.87 | Ophiuchus |
| 2025 May 07 | 17h 00m 23s | -20° 39’ 56” | 24.86 | Ophiuchus |
| 2025 May 08 | 16h 59m 38s | -20° 36’ 45” | 24.85 | Ophiuchus |
| 2025 May 09 | 16h 58m 51s | -20° 33’ 33” | 24.83 | Ophiuchus |
| 2025 May 10 | 16h 58m 04s | -20° 30’ 17” | 24.82 | Ophiuchus |
| 2025 May 11 | 16h 57m 15s | -20° 26’ 57” | 24.81 | Ophiuchus |
| 2025 May 12 | 16h 56m 26s | -20° 23’ 36” | 24.79 | Ophiuchus |
| 2025 May 13 | 16h 55m 35s | -20° 20’ 11” | 24.78 | Ophiuchus |
| 2025 May 14 | 16h 54m 44s | -20° 16’ 43” | 24.77 | Ophiuchus |
| 2025 May 15 | 16h 53m 51s | -20° 13’ 13” | 24.75 | Ophiuchus |
| 2025 May 16 | 16h 52m 57s | -20° 09’ 40” | 24.74 | Ophiuchus |
| 2025 May 17 | 16h 52m 02s | -20° 06’ 02” | 24.73 | Ophiuchus |
| 2025 May 18 | 16h 51m 07s | -20° 02’ 23” | 24.72 | Ophiuchus |
Additional Resources on TheSkyLive
- Comet 141P/Machholz: Complete reference information on TheSkyLive.com
- Where is Comet 141P/Machholz?: Key information on locating Comet 141P/Machholz in the sky.
- Distance from Earth: Find out how far Comet 141P/Machholz is from Earth right now.
- How Bright is Comet 141P/Machholz?: Current visual brightness (magnitude) and apparent size.
- Rise and Set Times: Comet 141P/Machholz's rise and set times from your location.
- Interactive Sky Map: planetarium-style interactive visualization of Comet 141P/Machholz's position in the sky.
- Live Position Tracker: high precision position tracker with deep space imagery.
- Ephemeris: 15 days Comet 141P/Machholz's computed ephemeris.