C/2020 P1 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	14 Oct 2020	6.2	0.400 AU	0.658 AU	12h41m	-20°24'	15.0°	139.8°	216°
Perihelion	21 Oct 2020	6.1	0.342 AU	0.730 AU	12h55m	-02°41'	14.5°	133.1°	304°
Today	28 Apr 2025	29.7	15.062 AU	14.074 AU	15h09m	-11°03'	168.4°	0.8°	253°

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)                : 1.0004300
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.3415950
            i (Inclination)                 : 45.12510
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 53.48510
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 8.92830
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 59.81023
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 6.31423
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459143.66380

            Epoch                           : 2025 Apr 27
            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 12.15 + 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
2025-04-28 00:00 UT   15 10 09.6   -11 04 21    14.071   15.057  167.7    0.8   255   29.7 
2025-04-28 19:23 UT   15 09 57.0   -11 03 33    14.074   15.062  168.4    0.8   253   29.7 
2025-04-29 00:00 UT   15 09 54.0   -11 03 21    14.074   15.063  168.5    0.8   252   29.7 
2025-04-30 00:00 UT   15 09 38.3   -11 02 23    14.078   15.069  169.4    0.7   249   29.7 
2025-05-01 00:00 UT   15 09 22.6   -11 01 24    14.081   15.076  170.2    0.7   245   29.7 
2025-05-02 00:00 UT   15 09 06.9   -11 00 25    14.085   15.082  170.9    0.6   241   29.7 
2025-05-03 00:00 UT   15 08 51.1   -10 59 27    14.089   15.088  171.6    0.6   236   29.7 
2025-05-04 00:00 UT   15 08 35.3   -10 58 30    14.094   15.094  172.3    0.5   230   29.7 
2025-05-05 00:00 UT   15 08 19.5   -10 57 32    14.099   15.100  172.8    0.5   223   29.7 
2025-05-06 00:00 UT   15 08 03.7   -10 56 35    14.104   15.107  173.2    0.5   215   29.7 
2025-05-07 00:00 UT   15 07 47.9   -10 55 39    14.109   15.113  173.5    0.4   207   29.7 
2025-05-08 00:00 UT   15 07 32.1   -10 54 43    14.115   15.119  173.6    0.4   198   29.7 

    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.