C/2016 U1 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	12 Dec 2016	10.4	0.901 AU	0.728 AU	15h22m	+31°53'	61.4°	73.5°	330°
Perihelion	13 Jan 2017	6.8	0.325 AU	1.162 AU	18h37m	-19°42'	14.6°	49.6°	280°
Today	31 Oct 2024	31.9	21.842 AU	20.924 AU	02h54m	-07°26'	156.9°	1.0°	339°

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.)

The orbital elements of C/2016 U1 (NEOWISE) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0003900
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.3251450
            i (Inclination)                 : 46.16610
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 61.68200
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 162.77110
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 49.56076
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 12.33673
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2457766.82060

            Epoch                           : 2022 Jan 22
            Reference                       : MPC103847

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

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC. The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (17.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 11.51 + 5 log[∆] + 10.29 log[r]).

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.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.

The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.

A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Ephemerides:

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2024-10-31 00:00 UT   02 54 58.4   -07 26 37    20.924   21.841  156.9    1.0   339   31.9 
2024-10-31 01:07 UT   02 54 57.9   -07 26 39    20.924   21.842  156.9    1.0   339   31.9 
2024-11-01 00:00 UT   02 54 47.7   -07 27 24    20.929   21.847  157.0    1.0   342   31.9 
2024-11-02 00:00 UT   02 54 37.0   -07 28 10    20.935   21.852  156.9    1.0   344   31.9 
2024-11-03 00:00 UT   02 54 26.2   -07 28 54    20.941   21.857  156.9    1.0   347   31.9 
2024-11-04 00:00 UT   02 54 15.4   -07 29 38    20.947   21.862  156.8    1.0   349   31.9 
2024-11-05 00:00 UT   02 54 04.6   -07 30 20    20.953   21.867  156.6    1.0   352   31.9 
2024-11-06 00:00 UT   02 53 53.9   -07 31 01    20.960   21.873  156.4    1.0   355   31.9 
2024-11-07 00:00 UT   02 53 43.1   -07 31 41    20.967   21.878  156.2    1.0   357   31.9 
2024-11-08 00:00 UT   02 53 32.3   -07 32 19    20.974   21.883  155.9    1.1   360   31.9 
2024-11-09 00:00 UT   02 53 21.5   -07 32 56    20.982   21.888  155.6    1.1     2   31.9 
2024-11-10 00:00 UT   02 53 10.7   -07 33 32    20.989   21.893  155.2    1.1     5   31.9 

    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.