C/2021 A4 (NEOWISE)
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Nearest approach	12 Feb 2021	12.2	1.277 AU	0.429 AU	06h44m	+59°25'	123.9°	39.9°	125°
Perihelion	19 Mar 2021	13.9	1.150 AU	1.141 AU	04h14m	-02°14'	64.7°	51.5°	91°
Today	5 Feb 2025	29.6	12.371 AU	13.343 AU	21h00m	-24°20'	9.3°	0.7°	204°

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/2021 A4 (NEOWISE) are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.9729160
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 1.1498590
            i (Inclination)                 : 111.62710
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 307.09240
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 204.74320
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 297.45229
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : -22.89769
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2459293.00390
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 276.63

            Epoch                           : 2025 Feb 04
            Reference                       : MPEC 2022-ED3

            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 (16.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 13.01 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]).

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
2025-02-05 00:00 UT   21 00 28.6   -24 21 46    13.340   12.368    8.9    0.7   202   29.6 
2025-02-05 14:40 UT   21 00 39.2   -24 20 46    13.343   12.371    9.3    0.7   204   29.6 
2025-02-06 00:00 UT   21 00 46.0   -24 20 08    13.345   12.374    9.5    0.8   206   29.6 
2025-02-07 00:00 UT   21 01 03.3   -24 18 31    13.349   12.380   10.2    0.8   210   29.6 
2025-02-08 00:00 UT   21 01 20.6   -24 16 55    13.353   12.386   10.9    0.9   214   29.6 
2025-02-09 00:00 UT   21 01 37.9   -24 15 19    13.356   12.392   11.6    0.9   217   29.6 
2025-02-10 00:00 UT   21 01 55.1   -24 13 44    13.359   12.398   12.4    1.0   219   29.6 
2025-02-11 00:00 UT   21 02 12.2   -24 12 10    13.362   12.404   13.2    1.0   222   29.6 
2025-02-12 00:00 UT   21 02 29.3   -24 10 37    13.365   12.410   14.0    1.1   224   29.6 
2025-02-13 00:00 UT   21 02 46.2   -24 09 04    13.368   12.416   14.8    1.2   226   29.6 
2025-02-14 00:00 UT   21 03 03.1   -24 07 32    13.370   12.422   15.6    1.2   227   29.6 
2025-02-15 00:00 UT   21 03 20.0   -24 06 01    13.372   12.428   16.4    1.3   229   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.