C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) |
ephemeris |
date |
magn |
radius |
delta |
ra |
dec |
elong |
phase |
PA |
Perihelion | 4 Jul 2020 | 1.2 | 0.295 AU | 1.152 AU | 06h01m | +30°21' | 13.9° | 55.9° | 299° |
Nearest approach | 23 Jul 2020 | 3.4 | 0.628 AU | 0.692 AU | 10h28m | +44°24' | 37.4° | 100.6° | 60° |
Today | 20 Apr 2024 | 24.1 | 13.341 AU | 12.423 AU | 14h45m | -33°43' | 155.0° | 1.8° | 329° |
C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)- 2024-04-20
astro.vanbuitenen.nl
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/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) are:
e (Eccentricity) : 0.9992240
q (Perihelion distance) : 0.2949210
i (Inclination) : 129.14890
Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 61.09480
ω (Argument of perihelion) : 37.39030
L (Longitude of perihelion) : 35.33633
B (Latitude of perihelion) : 28.09406
T (Time of perihelion passage) : 2459034.68600
P (Orbital period in years) : 7409.11
Epoch : 2024 Apr 19
Reference : MPEC 2021-O56
Classification(s): : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)
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 (7.50 + 5 log[∆] + 13.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 6.55 + 5 log[∆] + 10.71 log[r]). The additional green curve shows the effect of forward scattering, occurring when the comet is between the earth and the sun, for a gas-to-dust light ratio δ90 of 2.00. (See Marcus 2007)
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
2024-04-20 00:00 UT 14 45 43.6 -33 44 21 12.422 13.337 154.6 1.9 328 24.1
2024-04-20 13:07 UT 14 45 31.4 -33 43 53 12.423 13.341 155.0 1.8 329 24.1
2024-04-21 00:00 UT 14 45 21.2 -33 43 30 12.423 13.344 155.3 1.8 330 24.1
2024-04-22 00:00 UT 14 44 58.8 -33 42 36 12.425 13.350 156.1 1.7 332 24.1
2024-04-23 00:00 UT 14 44 36.3 -33 41 41 12.426 13.357 156.8 1.7 334 24.1
2024-04-24 00:00 UT 14 44 13.8 -33 40 44 12.428 13.363 157.5 1.7 336 24.1
2024-04-25 00:00 UT 14 43 51.2 -33 39 44 12.430 13.370 158.2 1.6 338 24.1
2024-04-26 00:00 UT 14 43 28.6 -33 38 43 12.433 13.376 158.8 1.6 340 24.1
2024-04-27 00:00 UT 14 43 06.0 -33 37 40 12.436 13.383 159.4 1.5 343 24.1
2024-04-28 00:00 UT 14 42 43.3 -33 36 35 12.439 13.389 160.0 1.5 345 24.1
2024-04-29 00:00 UT 14 42 20.6 -33 35 28 12.442 13.396 160.5 1.4 348 24.1
2024-04-30 00:00 UT 14 41 57.9 -33 34 20 12.446 13.402 161.0 1.4 351 24.1
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.