C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	5 Jul 2020	1.7	0.293 AU	1.148 AU	06h05m	+30°19'	13.9°	56.6°	300°
Nearest approach	24 Jul 2020	3.6	0.620 AU	0.697 AU	10h28m	+43°53'	36.8°	100.7°	60°
Today	21 Oct 2025	25.3	16.718 AU	17.623 AU	14h30m	-31°53'	23.9°	1.4°	150°

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 6.7 + 5 log[∆] + 10.1 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/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9992790
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.2929770
    i (Inclination)                 : 129.08710
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 61.06270
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 37.32770
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 35.38469
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 28.07712
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459035.64160
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 8191.20

    Epoch                           : 2025 Oct 20
    Reference                       : MPEC 2021-O56

    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
2025-10-20 00:00 UT   14 29 53.8   -31 52 52    17.610   16.711   24.7    1.4   148   25.3 
2025-10-21 00:00 UT   14 30 07.9   -31 53 45    17.621   16.717   24.0    1.4   150   25.3 
2025-10-21 05:17 UT   14 30 11.1   -31 53 57    17.623   16.718   23.9    1.4   150   25.3 
2025-10-22 00:00 UT   14 30 22.2   -31 54 39    17.631   16.723   23.4    1.4   151   25.3 
2025-10-23 00:00 UT   14 30 36.4   -31 55 35    17.642   16.729   22.7    1.3   153   25.3 
2025-10-24 00:00 UT   14 30 50.7   -31 56 31    17.652   16.734   22.1    1.3   155   25.3 
2025-10-25 00:00 UT   14 31 05.1   -31 57 28    17.662   16.740   21.4    1.2   157   25.3 
2025-10-26 00:00 UT   14 31 19.4   -31 58 27    17.671   16.746   20.8    1.2   159   25.3 
2025-10-27 00:00 UT   14 31 33.8   -31 59 26    17.680   16.752   20.3    1.2   161   25.3 
2025-10-28 00:00 UT   14 31 48.2   -32 00 27    17.689   16.758   19.7    1.1   163   25.3 
2025-10-29 00:00 UT   14 32 02.7   -32 01 28    17.698   16.764   19.2    1.1   166   25.3 
2025-10-30 00:00 UT   14 32 17.1   -32 02 31    17.706   16.769   18.7    1.1   168   25.3 
2025-10-31 00:00 UT   14 32 31.5   -32 03 34    17.715   16.775   18.3    1.1   171   25.3 

    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.