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°	56.2°	300°
Nearest approach	23 Jul 2020	3.6	0.625 AU	0.694 AU	10h28m	+44°12'	37.2°	100.7°	60°
Today	19 Dec 2024	24.5	14.881 AU	15.616 AU	14h48m	-32°36'	40.4°	2.5°	269°

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)                : 0.9992530
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.2943230
            i (Inclination)                 : 129.15400
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 61.09730
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 37.38050
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 35.34433
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 28.08500
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459035.08790
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 7820.88

            Epoch                           : 2024 Dec 17
            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 6.68 + 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
2024-12-19 00:00 UT   14 48 55.6   -32 36 11    15.617   14.880   40.3    2.4   269   24.5 
2024-12-19 04:09 UT   14 48 57.6   -32 36 28    15.616   14.881   40.4    2.5   269   24.5 
2024-12-20 00:00 UT   14 49 07.2   -32 37 49    15.613   14.886   41.1    2.5   269   24.5 
2024-12-21 00:00 UT   14 49 18.7   -32 39 27    15.608   14.892   42.0    2.5   270   24.5 
2024-12-22 00:00 UT   14 49 29.9   -32 41 06    15.603   14.899   42.9    2.6   270   24.5 
2024-12-23 00:00 UT   14 49 41.0   -32 42 44    15.598   14.905   43.8    2.6   271   24.5 
2024-12-24 00:00 UT   14 49 51.8   -32 44 22    15.593   14.911   44.7    2.7   271   24.5 
2024-12-25 00:00 UT   14 50 02.5   -32 46 01    15.588   14.917   45.6    2.7   272   24.5 
2024-12-26 00:00 UT   14 50 12.9   -32 47 39    15.582   14.923   46.5    2.7   272   24.5 
2024-12-27 00:00 UT   14 50 23.1   -32 49 17    15.576   14.930   47.4    2.8   273   24.5 
2024-12-28 00:00 UT   14 50 33.1   -32 50 55    15.571   14.936   48.4    2.8   273   24.5 
2024-12-29 00:00 UT   14 50 42.8   -32 52 33    15.564   14.942   49.3    2.9   274   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.