C/2020 P1 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	13 Oct 2020	6.2	0.400 AU	0.658 AU	12h41m	-20°23'	15.0°	139.8°	216°
Perihelion	21 Oct 2020	6.1	0.341 AU	0.731 AU	12h54m	-02°41'	14.5°	133.1°	304°
Today	13 Mar 2025	29.6	14.774 AU	14.220 AU	15h19m	-11°46'	122.2°	3.3°	281°

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 P1 (NEOWISE) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 1.0004260
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 0.3414100
            i (Inclination)                 : 45.13770
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 53.48240
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 8.92460
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 59.80350
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 6.31301
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459143.64210

            Epoch                           : 2025 Mar 11
            Reference                       : MPEC 2021-BE3

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

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 (14.00 + 5 log[∆] + 8.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 12.15 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 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 0.30. (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
2025-03-13 00:00 UT   15 19 46.2   -11 47 16    14.226   14.769  121.4    3.3   281   29.6 
2025-03-13 17:53 UT   15 19 40.3   -11 46 42    14.220   14.774  122.2    3.3   281   29.6 
2025-03-14 00:00 UT   15 19 38.2   -11 46 30    14.218   14.775  122.5    3.3   281   29.6 
2025-03-15 00:00 UT   15 19 29.9   -11 45 44    14.209   14.782  123.5    3.2   281   29.6 
2025-03-16 00:00 UT   15 19 21.4   -11 44 57    14.201   14.788  124.5    3.2   281   29.6 
2025-03-17 00:00 UT   15 19 12.6   -11 44 10    14.193   14.794  125.5    3.1   280   29.6 
2025-03-18 00:00 UT   15 19 03.6   -11 43 22    14.186   14.800  126.5    3.1   280   29.6 
2025-03-19 00:00 UT   15 18 54.3   -11 42 33    14.178   14.807  127.6    3.1   280   29.6 
2025-03-20 00:00 UT   15 18 44.8   -11 41 43    14.171   14.813  128.6    3.0   280   29.6 
2025-03-21 00:00 UT   15 18 35.1   -11 40 53    14.164   14.819  129.6    3.0   280   29.6 
2025-03-22 00:00 UT   15 18 25.1   -11 40 02    14.157   14.826  130.6    2.9   280   29.6 
2025-03-23 00:00 UT   15 18 14.9   -11 39 10    14.150   14.832  131.7    2.9   279   29.6 

    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.