C/2019 B1 (Africano)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	10 Feb 2019	17.3	1.677 AU	0.919 AU	08h01m	+69°28'	123.2°	29.5°	153°
Perihelion	18 Mar 2019	18.2	1.606 AU	1.473 AU	04h55m	+27°18'	78.5°	37.4°	83°
Today	21 Oct 2025	34.1	18.018 AU	17.812 AU	21h41m	-47°52'	100.4°	3.1°	61°

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 15.3 + 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/2019 B1 (Africano) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9885670
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.6055370
    i (Inclination)                 : 123.50260
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 290.22350
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 174.84730
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 293.07300
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 4.29487
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458560.73440
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 1664.14

    Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 20
    Reference                       : MPEC 2022-L66

    Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-10-20 00:00 UT   21 41 36.1   -47 55 13    17.777   18.009  101.9    3.1    60   34.1 
2025-10-21 00:00 UT   21 41 26.7   -47 53 43    17.796   18.014  101.1    3.1    60   34.1 
2025-10-21 19:37 UT   21 41 19.2   -47 52 29    17.812   18.018  100.4    3.1    61   34.1 
2025-10-22 00:00 UT   21 41 17.6   -47 52 12    17.816   18.019  100.2    3.1    61   34.1 
2025-10-23 00:00 UT   21 41 08.8   -47 50 39    17.836   18.025   99.4    3.1    61   34.1 
2025-10-24 00:00 UT   21 41 00.3   -47 49 05    17.855   18.030   98.5    3.1    62   34.1 
2025-10-25 00:00 UT   21 40 52.2   -47 47 29    17.875   18.035   97.7    3.1    63   34.1 
2025-10-26 00:00 UT   21 40 44.4   -47 45 52    17.895   18.040   96.8    3.1    63   34.1 
2025-10-27 00:00 UT   21 40 36.9   -47 44 14    17.915   18.046   95.9    3.1    64   34.1 
2025-10-28 00:00 UT   21 40 29.8   -47 42 34    17.935   18.051   95.1    3.1    64   34.1 
2025-10-29 00:00 UT   21 40 23.0   -47 40 53    17.955   18.056   94.2    3.1    65   34.1 
2025-10-30 00:00 UT   21 40 16.5   -47 39 10    17.975   18.062   93.4    3.1    65   34.1 
2025-10-31 00:00 UT   21 40 10.3   -47 37 27    17.995   18.067   92.5    3.1    66   34.1 

    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.