C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	10 Aug 2026	14.4	13.724 AU	13.715 AU	06h55m	-68°58'	88.4°	4.2°	214°
Perihelion	16 Jan 2031	12.3	10.960 AU	10.831 AU	12h09m	-38°50'	94.9°	5.1°	302°
Nearest approach	5 Apr 2031	12.2	10.967 AU	10.121 AU	11h46m	-35°40'	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 -9.8 + 5 log[∆] + 16.3 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)                : 1.0041160
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 10.9596120
    i (Inclination)                 : 95.44610
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 190.00240
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 326.09050
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 193.65288
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -33.73582
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2462883.05750

    Epoch                           : 2026 Aug 09
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-P55

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-08-09 00:00 UT   06 54 30.7   -68 55 45    13.716   13.727   88.5    4.2   213   14.4 
2026-08-10 00:00 UT   06 55 26.3   -68 58 01    13.715   13.724   88.4    4.2   214   14.4 
2026-08-10 02:38 UT   06 55 32.4   -68 58 17    13.715   13.724   88.4    4.2   214   14.4 
2026-08-11 00:00 UT   06 56 21.6   -69 00 20    13.714   13.721   88.3    4.2   215   14.4 
2026-08-12 00:00 UT   06 57 16.7   -69 02 42    13.713   13.718   88.2    4.2   216   14.4 
2026-08-13 00:00 UT   06 58 11.5   -69 05 05    13.712   13.715   88.1    4.2   216   14.4 
2026-08-14 00:00 UT   06 59 06.1   -69 07 31    13.711   13.712   88.0    4.2   217   14.4 
2026-08-15 00:00 UT   07 00 00.3   -69 10 00    13.710   13.709   87.9    4.2   218   14.4 
2026-08-16 00:00 UT   07 00 54.3   -69 12 31    13.709   13.706   87.7    4.2   219   14.4 
2026-08-17 00:00 UT   07 01 48.0   -69 15 04    13.708   13.703   87.6    4.2   219   14.4 
2026-08-18 00:00 UT   07 02 41.4   -69 17 40    13.707   13.700   87.5    4.2   220   14.4 
2026-08-19 00:00 UT   07 03 34.4   -69 20 18    13.706   13.698   87.4    4.2   221   14.4 
2026-08-20 00:00 UT   07 04 27.2   -69 22 58    13.706   13.695   87.3    4.2   222   14.4 

    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.