C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Perihelion	5 Jul 2020	1.7	0.293 AU	1.148 AU	06h05m	+30°19'	13.9°	56.7°	300°
Nearest approach	24 Jul 2020	3.6	0.620 AU	0.698 AU	10h28m	+43°51'	36.8°	100.8°	60°
Today	22 Feb 2026	25.4	17.438 AU	17.179 AU	14h46m	-34°31'	103.6°	3.2°	293°

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)                : 0.9992810
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.2928560
    i (Inclination)                 : 129.07890
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 61.05840
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 37.32210
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 35.38886
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 28.07676
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459035.68130
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 8220.30

    Epoch                           : 2025 Nov 12
    Reference                       : MPEC 2021-O56

    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
2026-02-21 00:00 UT   14 46 16.5   -34 29 39    17.199   17.427  101.7    3.2   292   25.4 
2026-02-22 00:00 UT   14 46 10.6   -34 30 27    17.188   17.433  102.7    3.2   292   25.4 
2026-02-22 22:10 UT   14 46 05.0   -34 31 11    17.179   17.438  103.6    3.2   293   25.4 
2026-02-23 00:00 UT   14 46 04.5   -34 31 14    17.178   17.439  103.7    3.2   293   25.4 
2026-02-24 00:00 UT   14 45 58.1   -34 31 60    17.168   17.444  104.6    3.1   293   25.4 
2026-02-25 00:00 UT   14 45 51.5   -34 32 44    17.157   17.450  105.6    3.1   293   25.4 
2026-02-26 00:00 UT   14 45 44.6   -34 33 27    17.147   17.456  106.6    3.1   294   25.4 
2026-02-27 00:00 UT   14 45 37.4   -34 34 08    17.137   17.462  107.5    3.1   294   25.4 
2026-02-28 00:00 UT   14 45 29.9   -34 34 49    17.127   17.467  108.5    3.1   294   25.4 
2026-03-01 00:00 UT   14 45 22.2   -34 35 27    17.117   17.473  109.5    3.1   295   25.4 
2026-03-02 00:00 UT   14 45 14.2   -34 36 05    17.107   17.479  110.5    3.0   295   25.4 
2026-03-03 00:00 UT   14 45 06.0   -34 36 40    17.097   17.484  111.4    3.0   296   25.4 
2026-03-04 00:00 UT   14 44 57.5   -34 37 15    17.088   17.490  112.4    3.0   296   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.