C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	4 Jul 2020	1.6	0.294 AU	1.150 AU	06h03m	+30°20'	13.9°	56.4°	300°
Nearest approach	23 Jul 2020	3.6	0.623 AU	0.695 AU	10h28m	+44°05'	37.1°	100.7°	60°
Today	21 Mar 2025	24.5	15.446 AU	14.806 AU	14h47m	-34°22'	128.5°	2.9°	302°

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 F3 (NEOWISE) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9992630
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.2938960
            i (Inclination)                 : 129.13520
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 61.08780
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 37.36480
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 35.35660
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 28.08220
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459035.27500
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 7963.23

            Epoch                           : 2025 Mar 20
            Reference                       : MPEC 2021-O56

            Classification(s):              : Nearly isotropic; Returning (a < 10000 AU); External (P > 200 years)
        

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 (7.50 + 5 log[∆] + 13.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 6.69 + 5 log[∆] + 10.09 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 2.00. (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
2025-03-21 00:00 UT   14 47 45.0   -34 22 18    14.808   15.444  128.1    2.9   302   24.5 
2025-03-21 09:35 UT   14 47 39.3   -34 22 22    14.806   15.446  128.5    2.9   302   24.5 
2025-03-22 00:00 UT   14 47 30.6   -34 22 27    14.802   15.450  129.1    2.9   303   24.5 
2025-03-23 00:00 UT   14 47 16.1   -34 22 33    14.795   15.456  130.0    2.8   303   24.5 
2025-03-24 00:00 UT   14 47 01.3   -34 22 38    14.789   15.462  131.0    2.8   304   24.5 
2025-03-25 00:00 UT   14 46 46.3   -34 22 41    14.783   15.468  131.9    2.7   305   24.5 
2025-03-26 00:00 UT   14 46 31.0   -34 22 42    14.777   15.474  132.9    2.7   305   24.5 
2025-03-27 00:00 UT   14 46 15.6   -34 22 42    14.772   15.480  133.8    2.7   306   24.5 
2025-03-28 00:00 UT   14 45 59.9   -34 22 39    14.766   15.486  134.8    2.6   306   24.5 
2025-03-29 00:00 UT   14 45 44.0   -34 22 34    14.761   15.492  135.7    2.6   307   24.5 
2025-03-30 00:00 UT   14 45 28.0   -34 22 28    14.756   15.498  136.7    2.5   308   24.6 
2025-03-31 00:00 UT   14 45 11.7   -34 22 19    14.752   15.504  137.6    2.5   309   24.6 

    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.