C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	5 Jul 2020	1.6	0.293 AU	1.148 AU	06h05m	+30°19'	13.9°	56.6°	300°
Nearest approach	24 Jul 2020	3.6	0.621 AU	0.697 AU	10h28m	+43°55'	36.9°	100.7°	60°
Today	16 Sep 2025	25.2	16.517 AU	17.118 AU	14h22m	-31°34'	51.9°	2.7°	123°

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)                : 0.9992770
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.2931640
            i (Inclination)                 : 129.09910
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 61.06900
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 37.33610
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 35.37841
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 28.07780
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459035.57550
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 8165.04

            Epoch                           : 2025 Sep 15
            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 6.72 + 5 log[∆] + 10.08 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
2025-09-16 00:00 UT   14 22 42.8   -31 34 44    17.102   16.512   52.7    2.8   123   25.2 
2025-09-16 21:21 UT   14 22 52.3   -31 34 53    17.118   16.517   51.9    2.7   123   25.2 
2025-09-17 00:00 UT   14 22 53.5   -31 34 54    17.120   16.518   51.8    2.7   123   25.2 
2025-09-18 00:00 UT   14 23 04.2   -31 35 06    17.138   16.524   50.9    2.7   123   25.2 
2025-09-19 00:00 UT   14 23 15.2   -31 35 18    17.156   16.530   50.0    2.7   124   25.2 
2025-09-20 00:00 UT   14 23 26.3   -31 35 32    17.174   16.536   49.2    2.6   124   25.2 
2025-09-21 00:00 UT   14 23 37.5   -31 35 48    17.192   16.542   48.3    2.6   125   25.2 
2025-09-22 00:00 UT   14 23 48.9   -31 36 05    17.209   16.547   47.4    2.6   125   25.2 
2025-09-23 00:00 UT   14 24 00.4   -31 36 23    17.227   16.553   46.6    2.5   126   25.2 
2025-09-24 00:00 UT   14 24 12.1   -31 36 43    17.244   16.559   45.7    2.5   126   25.2 
2025-09-25 00:00 UT   14 24 23.9   -31 37 04    17.261   16.565   44.8    2.4   127   25.2 
2025-09-26 00:00 UT   14 24 35.8   -31 37 27    17.277   16.571   44.0    2.4   127   25.2 

    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.