C/2016 U1 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	9 Dec 2016	10.3	0.887 AU	0.744 AU	15h10m	+30°13'	59.8°	73.7°	329°
Perihelion	9 Jan 2017	6.8	0.320 AU	1.173 AU	18h25m	-19°54'	13.8°	47.0°	281°
Today	8 Nov 2026	32.9	25.522 AU	24.607 AU	02h55m	-06°27'	156.9°	0.9°	359°

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 11.5 + 5 log[∆] + 10.3 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/2016 U1 (NEOWISE) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0002080
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.3199280
    i (Inclination)                 : 46.07620
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 61.77450
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 162.55700
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 49.47836
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 12.46856
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2457763.28640

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194149

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

Ephemerides

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2026-11-07 00:00 UT   02 55 58.8   -06 26 50    24.595   25.513  157.3    0.9   354   32.9 
2026-11-08 00:00 UT   02 55 49.6   -06 27 25    24.601   25.518  157.1    0.9   357   32.9 
2026-11-08 20:03 UT   02 55 41.9   -06 27 53    24.607   25.522  156.9    0.9   359   32.9 
2026-11-09 00:00 UT   02 55 40.3   -06 27 58    24.608   25.523  156.8    0.9   360   32.9 
2026-11-10 00:00 UT   02 55 31.1   -06 28 31    24.615   25.527  156.5    0.9     2   32.9 
2026-11-11 00:00 UT   02 55 21.9   -06 29 03    24.622   25.532  156.2    0.9     5   32.9 
2026-11-12 00:00 UT   02 55 12.8   -06 29 33    24.630   25.537  155.8    0.9     7   32.9 
2026-11-13 00:00 UT   02 55 03.6   -06 30 03    24.638   25.542  155.4    0.9     9   32.9 
2026-11-14 00:00 UT   02 54 54.4   -06 30 31    24.646   25.547  154.9    0.9    11   32.9 
2026-11-15 00:00 UT   02 54 45.3   -06 30 58    24.655   25.551  154.4    1.0    14   32.9 
2026-11-16 00:00 UT   02 54 36.2   -06 31 25    24.664   25.556  153.9    1.0    16   32.9 
2026-11-17 00:00 UT   02 54 27.1   -06 31 50    24.673   25.561  153.3    1.0    18   32.9 
2026-11-18 00:00 UT   02 54 18.1   -06 32 14    24.682   25.566  152.8    1.0    20   32.9 

    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.