C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	27 Oct 2025	15.3	14.607 AU	14.618 AU	05h39m	-73°20'	87.4°	3.9°	308°
Perihelion	16 Jan 2031	13.4	10.961 AU	10.838 AU	12h09m	-38°49'	94.6°	5.1°	302°
Nearest approach	5 Apr 2031	13.3	10.968 AU	10.122 AU	11h46m	-35°39'	146.3°	2.9°	31°

The interactive orbit chart above shows the comet's path through the solar system and its position at the given date. Green and blue lines are shown perpendicular to the ecliptic plane: Green if the path is above the ecliptic plane, blue if it is below. (Left-click and drag to rotate the view; Right-click and drag to move the view; Use scroll wheel to zoom in our out.)

Light curve

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations from COBS. This lightcurve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently -2.2 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 log[r]). An additional green curve is displayed when an increase in apparent brightness is expected due to forward scattering of sunlight, which occurs when a dust-rich comet is located between the Earth and the Sun. (See Marcus 2007)

Charts

The all-sky chart below shows the path of the comet over the same period as the light curve. The comet's current position is marked yellow.

The following chart shows the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Orbital elements

The orbital elements of C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0043560
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 10.9607430
    i (Inclination)                 : 95.44570
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 189.97540
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 326.07340
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 193.62796
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -33.75283
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2462882.64450

    Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 26
    Reference                       : MPC188408

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-10-26 00:00 UT   05 40 14.0   -73 17 23    14.619   14.610   87.6    3.9   307   15.3 
2025-10-27 00:00 UT   05 39 56.8   -73 20 54    14.618   14.607   87.4    3.9   308   15.3 
2025-10-27 00:27 UT   05 39 56.4   -73 20 58    14.618   14.607   87.4    3.9   308   15.3 
2025-10-28 00:00 UT   05 39 38.6   -73 24 22    14.617   14.604   87.3    3.9   309   15.3 
2025-10-29 00:00 UT   05 39 19.6   -73 27 47    14.616   14.601   87.2    3.9   310   15.3 
2025-10-30 00:00 UT   05 38 59.8   -73 31 10    14.616   14.598   87.0    3.9   311   15.3 
2025-10-31 00:00 UT   05 38 39.0   -73 34 29    14.615   14.594   86.9    3.9   312   15.3 
2025-11-01 00:00 UT   05 38 17.4   -73 37 46    14.614   14.591   86.8    3.9   313   15.3 
2025-11-02 00:00 UT   05 37 54.9   -73 40 60    14.613   14.588   86.6    3.9   314   15.3 
2025-11-03 00:00 UT   05 37 31.5   -73 44 10    14.612   14.585   86.5    3.9   316   15.3 
2025-11-04 00:00 UT   05 37 07.3   -73 47 17    14.611   14.582   86.4    3.9   317   15.3 
2025-11-05 00:00 UT   05 36 42.2   -73 50 21    14.610   14.579   86.2    3.9   318   15.3 
2025-11-06 00:00 UT   05 36 16.3   -73 53 22    14.609   14.575   86.1    3.9   319   15.3 

    Terminology:
            
    delta:  distance between comet and earth in AU
    radius: distance between comet and sun in AU
    magn:   magnitude (brightness) estimate    
    ra:     right ascension in hours (24h = 360deg)
    dec:    declination in degrees
    elong:  elongation in degrees (angle sun-earth-comet)    
    phase:  phase angle in degrees (angle sun-comet-earth)        
    AU:     Astronomical Unit (mean distance between earth and sun: 149597870.7 km      
    

Orbital elements usually provided by the MPC (Minor Planet Center).
Observations contributed by observers worldwide, via COBS (Comet Observation Database) or the MPC (Minor Planet Center)
Calculations by a modified version of AAPlus, a C# implementation of the AA+ project by PJ Naughter from the algorithms presented in the book "Astronomical Algorithms" by Jean Meeus.
NGC2000 dso catalog and star labels from VizieR as provided by the Strasbourg astronomical Data Center.
Tycho2 catalog from the ESO archive.