C/2021 A4 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	12 Feb 2021	12.3	1.280 AU	0.434 AU	06h44m	+59°32'	123.7°	39.9°	125°
Perihelion	19 Mar 2021	13.9	1.151 AU	1.149 AU	04h15m	-02°05'	64.5°	51.3°	91°
Today	22 Jul 2026	30.7	15.392 AU	14.391 AU	20h51m	-21°50'	169.7°	0.7°	277°

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 13.0 + 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/2021 A4 (NEOWISE) are:

    e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9730540
    q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.1512720
    i (Inclination)                 : 111.68520
    Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 307.08540
    ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 204.77880
    L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 297.40561
    B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -22.92056
    T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459293.45180
    P (Orbital period in years)     : 279.27

    Epoch                           : 2026 May 29
    Reference                       : MPC194172

    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
2026-07-21 00:00 UT   20 51 43.5   -21 48 31    14.387   15.382  167.9    0.8   273   30.7 
2026-07-22 00:00 UT   20 51 25.9   -21 49 20    14.389   15.388  168.8    0.7   275   30.7 
2026-07-22 21:44 UT   20 51 10.0   -21 50 04    14.391   15.392  169.7    0.7   277   30.7 
2026-07-23 00:00 UT   20 51 08.3   -21 50 08    14.392   15.393  169.8    0.7   277   30.7 
2026-07-24 00:00 UT   20 50 50.7   -21 50 56    14.394   15.398  170.7    0.6   280   30.7 
2026-07-25 00:00 UT   20 50 33.0   -21 51 44    14.397   15.404  171.6    0.5   283   30.7 
2026-07-26 00:00 UT   20 50 15.2   -21 52 32    14.401   15.409  172.5    0.5   287   30.7 
2026-07-27 00:00 UT   20 49 57.5   -21 53 19    14.405   15.414  173.4    0.4   291   30.7 
2026-07-28 00:00 UT   20 49 39.7   -21 54 06    14.409   15.420  174.2    0.4   298   30.7 
2026-07-29 00:00 UT   20 49 21.9   -21 54 52    14.413   15.425  174.9    0.3   305   30.7 
2026-07-30 00:00 UT   20 49 04.1   -21 55 39    14.418   15.430  175.4    0.3   315   30.7 
2026-07-31 00:00 UT   20 48 46.2   -21 56 25    14.423   15.436  175.8    0.3   328   30.7 
2026-08-01 00:00 UT   20 48 28.4   -21 57 10    14.428   15.441  176.0    0.3   342   30.7 

    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.