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°	56.7°	300°
Nearest approach	24 Jul 2020	3.6	0.620 AU	0.698 AU	10h28m	+43°51'	36.8°	100.8°	60°
Today	22 Nov 2025	25.4	16.908 AU	17.827 AU	14h37m	-32°31'	20.8°	1.2°	238°

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)                : 0.9992810
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.2928560
    i (Inclination)                 : 129.07890
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 61.05840
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 37.32210
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 35.38886
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 28.07676
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459035.68130
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 8220.30

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    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
2025-11-21 00:00 UT   14 37 30.7   -32 28 51    17.824   16.897   19.7    1.1   234   25.4 
2025-11-22 00:00 UT   14 37 44.4   -32 30 10    17.826   16.903   20.3    1.2   237   25.4 
2025-11-22 19:25 UT   14 37 55.4   -32 31 15    17.827   16.908   20.8    1.2   238   25.4 
2025-11-23 00:00 UT   14 37 58.0   -32 31 31    17.828   16.909   20.9    1.2   239   25.4 
2025-11-24 00:00 UT   14 38 11.6   -32 32 52    17.829   16.915   21.5    1.2   241   25.4 
2025-11-25 00:00 UT   14 38 25.1   -32 34 13    17.831   16.921   22.1    1.3   243   25.4 
2025-11-26 00:00 UT   14 38 38.5   -32 35 35    17.832   16.926   22.8    1.3   244   25.4 
2025-11-27 00:00 UT   14 38 51.8   -32 36 58    17.833   16.932   23.4    1.3   246   25.4 
2025-11-28 00:00 UT   14 39 05.0   -32 38 21    17.833   16.938   24.1    1.4   248   25.4 
2025-11-29 00:00 UT   14 39 18.1   -32 39 44    17.833   16.944   24.8    1.4   249   25.4 
2025-11-30 00:00 UT   14 39 31.1   -32 41 08    17.833   16.950   25.6    1.4   251   25.4 
2025-12-01 00:00 UT   14 39 44.0   -32 42 32    17.833   16.955   26.3    1.5   252   25.4 
2025-12-02 00:00 UT   14 39 56.7   -32 43 57    17.833   16.961   27.1    1.5   254   25.4 

    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.