C/2020 P1 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	13 Oct 2020	6.2	0.399 AU	0.659 AU	12h40m	-20°22'	15.0°	139.7°	216°
Perihelion	21 Oct 2020	6.1	0.341 AU	0.731 AU	12h54m	-02°39'	14.5°	133.0°	304°
Today	17 Nov 2024	29.5	14.032 AU	15.005 AU	15h07m	-11°17'	9.5°	0.7°	325°

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 P1 (NEOWISE) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0004070
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.3410130
            i (Inclination)                 : 45.16080
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 53.47730
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 8.91440
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 59.78858
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 6.30836
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459143.51970

            Epoch                           : 2024 Nov 15
            Reference                       : MPEC 2021-BE3

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; New (a > 10000 AU)
        

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 (14.00 + 5 log[∆] + 8.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 12.17 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 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 0.30. (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
2024-11-17 00:00 UT   15 07 12.9   -11 17 06    15.005   14.031    9.4    0.7   325   29.5 
2024-11-17 03:00 UT   15 07 14.9   -11 17 15    15.005   14.032    9.5    0.7   325   29.5 
2024-11-18 00:00 UT   15 07 28.9   -11 18 18    15.009   14.037   10.1    0.7   322   29.5 
2024-11-19 00:00 UT   15 07 44.8   -11 19 30    15.012   14.044   10.9    0.8   319   29.5 
2024-11-20 00:00 UT   15 08 00.7   -11 20 41    15.016   14.050   11.7    0.8   316   29.5 
2024-11-21 00:00 UT   15 08 16.5   -11 21 51    15.019   14.057   12.5    0.9   314   29.5 
2024-11-22 00:00 UT   15 08 32.3   -11 23 01    15.022   14.063   13.3    0.9   312   29.5 
2024-11-23 00:00 UT   15 08 48.0   -11 24 10    15.024   14.070   14.2    1.0   310   29.5 
2024-11-24 00:00 UT   15 09 03.7   -11 25 19    15.027   14.076   15.1    1.0   309   29.5 
2024-11-25 00:00 UT   15 09 19.4   -11 26 26    15.029   14.082   15.9    1.1   307   29.5 
2024-11-26 00:00 UT   15 09 34.9   -11 27 33    15.030   14.089   16.8    1.2   306   29.5 
2024-11-27 00:00 UT   15 09 50.4   -11 28 39    15.032   14.095   17.7    1.2   305   29.5 

    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.