C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	4 Jul 2020	1.6	0.294 AU	1.150 AU	06h03m	+30°20'	13.9°	56.3°	300°
Nearest approach	23 Jul 2020	3.6	0.624 AU	0.695 AU	10h28m	+44°08'	37.1°	100.7°	60°
Today	5 Feb 2025	24.5	15.179 AU	15.219 AU	14h53m	-33°49'	85.8°	3.7°	286°

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)                : 0.9992590
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.2941080
            i (Inclination)                 : 129.14650
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 61.09350
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 37.37330
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 35.34997
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 28.08323
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459035.19150
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 7907.39

            Epoch                           : 2025 Feb 04
            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 6.69 + 5 log[∆] + 10.10 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
2025-02-05 00:00 UT   14 53 35.6   -33 49 05    15.224   15.175   85.3    3.7   286   24.5 
2025-02-05 12:03 UT   14 53 35.0   -33 49 42    15.219   15.179   85.8    3.7   286   24.5 
2025-02-06 00:00 UT   14 53 34.3   -33 50 19    15.213   15.182   86.3    3.7   286   24.5 
2025-02-07 00:00 UT   14 53 32.7   -33 51 33    15.203   15.188   87.2    3.7   287   24.5 
2025-02-08 00:00 UT   14 53 30.8   -33 52 45    15.192   15.194   88.2    3.7   287   24.5 
2025-02-09 00:00 UT   14 53 28.6   -33 53 57    15.181   15.200   89.2    3.7   287   24.5 
2025-02-10 00:00 UT   14 53 26.0   -33 55 07    15.171   15.206   90.2    3.7   288   24.5 
2025-02-11 00:00 UT   14 53 23.1   -33 56 16    15.160   15.212   91.1    3.7   288   24.5 
2025-02-12 00:00 UT   14 53 19.9   -33 57 24    15.150   15.218   92.1    3.7   288   24.5 
2025-02-13 00:00 UT   14 53 16.4   -33 58 31    15.139   15.224   93.1    3.7   288   24.5 
2025-02-14 00:00 UT   14 53 12.5   -33 59 36    15.128   15.231   94.1    3.7   289   24.5 
2025-02-15 00:00 UT   14 53 08.4   -34 00 40    15.118   15.237   95.0    3.7   289   24.5 

    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.