C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	5 Jul 2020	1.7	0.293 AU	1.147 AU	06h05m	+30°18'	13.9°	56.7°	300°
Nearest approach	24 Jul 2020	3.6	0.619 AU	0.698 AU	10h28m	+43°50'	36.8°	100.7°	60°
Today	1 Apr 2026	25.4	17.655 AU	16.880 AU	14h39m	-34°41'	139.8°	2.1°	312°

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 6.7 + 5 log[∆] + 10.1 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/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9992910
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.2928510
    i (Inclination)                 : 129.06250
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 61.04480
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 37.28650
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 35.41196
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 28.05894
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459035.79180
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 8394.61

    Epoch                           : 2026 Mar 16
    Reference                       : MPEC 2026-E44

    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
2026-03-31 00:00 UT   14 39 48.2   -34 41 46    16.889   17.644  138.0    2.2   310   25.4 
2026-04-01 00:00 UT   14 39 33.7   -34 41 35    16.884   17.650  138.9    2.1   311   25.4 
2026-04-01 22:44 UT   14 39 19.9   -34 41 24    16.880   17.655  139.8    2.1   312   25.4 
2026-04-02 00:00 UT   14 39 19.2   -34 41 23    16.880   17.656  139.8    2.1   312   25.4 
2026-04-03 00:00 UT   14 39 04.4   -34 41 10    16.875   17.661  140.7    2.1   313   25.4 
2026-04-04 00:00 UT   14 38 49.6   -34 40 54    16.872   17.667  141.6    2.0   313   25.4 
2026-04-05 00:00 UT   14 38 34.5   -34 40 37    16.868   17.673  142.5    2.0   314   25.4 
2026-04-06 00:00 UT   14 38 19.4   -34 40 18    16.865   17.678  143.4    1.9   315   25.4 
2026-04-07 00:00 UT   14 38 04.1   -34 39 58    16.861   17.684  144.3    1.9   316   25.4 
2026-04-08 00:00 UT   14 37 48.8   -34 39 36    16.858   17.690  145.1    1.9   317   25.4 
2026-04-09 00:00 UT   14 37 33.2   -34 39 12    16.856   17.695  146.0    1.8   318   25.4 
2026-04-10 00:00 UT   14 37 17.6   -34 38 47    16.853   17.701  146.8    1.8   319   25.4 
2026-04-11 00:00 UT   14 37 01.9   -34 38 20    16.851   17.707  147.7    1.7   321   25.4 

    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.