C/2019 B1 (Africano)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	9 Feb 2019	17.4	1.682 AU	0.920 AU	08h02m	+69°02'	123.8°	29.2°	154°
Perihelion	17 Mar 2019	18.2	1.612 AU	1.471 AU	04h55m	+27°18'	79.0°	37.3°	83°
Today	9 Jun 2026	34.5	19.214 AU	18.732 AU	22h06m	-45°32'	117.0°	2.7°	264°

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)                : 0.9885460
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.6118610
    i (Inclination)                 : 123.53010
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 290.23920
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 174.88330
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 293.07077
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 4.26353
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458560.29930
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 1669.38

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194159

    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
2026-06-08 00:00 UT   22 06 53.3   -45 29 09    18.744   19.206  115.6    2.7   263   34.5 
2026-06-09 00:00 UT   22 06 46.6   -45 30 58    18.737   19.211  116.4    2.7   263   34.5 
2026-06-09 15:54 UT   22 06 42.0   -45 32 10    18.732   19.214  117.0    2.7   264   34.5 
2026-06-10 00:00 UT   22 06 39.6   -45 32 47    18.730   19.216  117.2    2.7   264   34.5 
2026-06-11 00:00 UT   22 06 32.3   -45 34 36    18.723   19.221  118.0    2.7   265   34.5 
2026-06-12 00:00 UT   22 06 24.8   -45 36 25    18.716   19.226  118.8    2.7   266   34.5 
2026-06-13 00:00 UT   22 06 16.9   -45 38 15    18.709   19.231  119.6    2.6   266   34.5 
2026-06-14 00:00 UT   22 06 08.8   -45 40 05    18.702   19.237  120.4    2.6   267   34.5 
2026-06-15 00:00 UT   22 06 00.4   -45 41 56    18.695   19.242  121.2    2.6   268   34.5 
2026-06-16 00:00 UT   22 05 51.7   -45 43 46    18.689   19.247  122.0    2.6   268   34.5 
2026-06-17 00:00 UT   22 05 42.8   -45 45 37    18.683   19.252  122.7    2.5   269   34.5 
2026-06-18 00:00 UT   22 05 33.5   -45 47 27    18.677   19.257  123.5    2.5   270   34.5 
2026-06-19 00:00 UT   22 05 24.0   -45 49 18    18.671   19.262  124.3    2.5   271   34.5 

    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.