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Trans-Neptunian object

2004 BZ159

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(2004 BZ159)

Where is it now

Distance from Sun
38.992 AU
True anomaly
160.67°
Distance from Earth
39.665 AU
As of
22 October 2026

Two-body Kepler propagation — accurate to ~0.1% for major planets over decades, less so for highly-perturbed bodies. Use JPL Horizons for high precision.

Sun Earth — 0.995 AU from the Sun Earth 2004 BZ159 — 38.992 AU from the Sun 2004 BZ159
Seen from above the ecliptic, north up, to scale. Grid: Earth's orbit in blue. 2004 BZ159 is 39.665 AU from Earth today (5.5 light-hours).

In the sky

Right ascension
17h 01m 41s
Declination
-18° 31′ 29″
Constellation
Ophiuchus
Distance from Earth
39.67 AU
Elongation from the Sun
46.71° — near the Sun — look low at dusk or dawn

Favours the southern hemisphere; low or below the horizon from far north.

From your location

See how high it is right now, whether it is up after civil twilight, and when it rises and sets where you are.

How do I find my coordinates?

Google Maps on a computer

  1. Right-click the spot where you'll be observing.
  2. The first line of the menu is the coordinates, e.g. 51.50722, -0.12758 — click it and they're copied.
  3. Paste them above.

Google Maps on a phone

  1. Press and hold the spot to drop a pin.
  2. The coordinates appear in the search bar (or on the pin's card) — tap to copy, then paste above.

A full Google Maps link works too, but the short maps.app.goo.gl share links don't carry coordinates — copy the numbers instead. We round to about a kilometre; that's all the sky calculation needs.

Know your what3words address? Paste it, e.g. ///filled.count.soap. This is optional — the three words are sent to what3words to convert them, and we don't store the address or the result.

Your location stays in your browser and is sent only for this calculation. Using a what3words address is optional; if you do, the three words go to what3words to be converted and we don't record them. Set a location first, then you can save an email alert for this object. See our privacy policy.

Two-body approximation, good to about a degree for the planets — enough to find the constellation and know whether it is up.

Orbital elements

Semi-major axis
45.195 AU
Eccentricity
0.9575
Inclination
4.37°
Orbital period
303.8 years
Perihelion
1.922 AU
Aphelion
88.469 AU
Longitude of ascending node
155.99°
Argument of periapsis
300.53°
Epoch · J2000
2460600.5
Orbit class · TNO
Trans-Neptunian object
Tisserand (Jupiter)
1.811

Orbit quality

Orbit very uncertain — the object may be effectively lost (uncertainty code 9).

Observations used
5
Data arc
24 hours
First observed
21 January 2004
Last observed
22 January 2004
Residual RMS
0.03 ″

Visual & observation

Absolute magnitude (H)
19.14

Discovery & classification

TNO

Sources