Discovered on 27 November, 2018 by astronomer B. M. Africano of the Mount Lemmon Survey, Comet 2018 W2 (Africano) measured approximately magnitude 20 as a small fuzzy point of light with a possible tail. The comet reaches perihelion on September 06th when it is expected to reach around magnitude 9.
Africano could possibly even reach around magnitude 8.5 from September located in Andromeda. This is well placed for comfortable evening viewing for northern hemisphere observers. The comet rapidly moves southward through Pegasus, Pisces, and into Aquarius through autumn before slowing in to Piscis Austrinus in mid-October. The comet is expected to then fade back to magnitude 10.5 by November.
Current Magnitude: 10.5 (As at 16 September, 2019)
Comet Africano Finder Charts
10 – 28 September 2019 (zoomed)
10 August – 16 September 2019
August (zoomed)
