C/2018 N1 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	27 Jul 2018	9.0	1.310 AU	0.306 AU	20h24m	-37°13'	161.9°	13.9°	2°
Perihelion	3 Aug 2018	9.5	1.306 AU	0.397 AU	17h20m	-29°14'	130.2°	36.4°	89°
Today	17 Nov 2025	29.8	19.827 AU	19.863 AU	10h19m	+22°47'	86.5°	2.9°	292°

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 10.4 + 5 log[∆] + 10.0 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/2018 N1 (NEOWISE) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9974900
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.3062340
    i (Inclination)                 : 159.38870
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 292.59000
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 354.74820
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 297.50734
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -1.84650
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2458333.93300
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 11871.92

    Epoch                           : 2023 Sep 24
    Reference                       : MPEC 2022-M21

    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
2025-11-16 00:00 UT   10 19 46.4   +22 46 58    19.879   19.820   85.1    2.9   293   29.8 
2025-11-17 00:00 UT   10 19 46.9   +22 47 29    19.867   19.825   86.1    2.9   292   29.8 
2025-11-17 08:12 UT   10 19 47.0   +22 47 40    19.863   19.827   86.5    2.9   292   29.8 
2025-11-18 00:00 UT   10 19 47.2   +22 48 02    19.855   19.830   87.1    2.9   292   29.8 
2025-11-19 00:00 UT   10 19 47.3   +22 48 36    19.843   19.836   88.1    2.9   292   29.8 
2025-11-20 00:00 UT   10 19 47.2   +22 49 11    19.831   19.841   89.1    2.9   292   29.8 
2025-11-21 00:00 UT   10 19 46.9   +22 49 47    19.819   19.846   90.1    2.9   292   29.8 
2025-11-22 00:00 UT   10 19 46.4   +22 50 25    19.807   19.851   91.1    2.9   291   29.8 
2025-11-23 00:00 UT   10 19 45.6   +22 51 04    19.795   19.856   92.1    2.8   291   29.8 
2025-11-24 00:00 UT   10 19 44.6   +22 51 44    19.783   19.862   93.1    2.8   291   29.8 
2025-11-25 00:00 UT   10 19 43.5   +22 52 25    19.771   19.867   94.1    2.8   291   29.8 
2025-11-26 00:00 UT   10 19 42.1   +22 53 07    19.760   19.872   95.1    2.8   291   29.8 
2025-11-27 00:00 UT   10 19 40.5   +22 53 51    19.748   19.877   96.1    2.8   290   29.8 

    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.