Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1998 Dec. 19: North)

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Updated on December 21, 1998
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Northern Hemisphere.

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* 21P/Giacobini-Zinner

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Because it has passed the peak, now fading gradually. The apprent location keeps stable for a while.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  23  1.86  -23 17.0   0.908   1.105    71    9.2     75.3  96.8  18:21 ( 18, 29)  
Dec. 26  23 39.08  -23 55.4   0.949   1.143    72    9.5     71.2  92.3  18:25 ( 17, 29)  

* C/1998 P1 ( Williams )

Image: 1998 Dec. 18
Although it is rather fainter by CCD, but about 9 mag and easy to see visually. It has two tails, a long anti-tail towards southeast and an ordinary tail towards west.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  13  6.42  -11 15.2   1.578   1.504    67    9.8     29.5 328.0   5:32 (327, 37)  
Dec. 26  12 57.67   -8  0.9   1.456   1.573    77    9.8     37.7 324.9   5:35 (337, 44)  

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Brightening well. Northern people can see it for a long time until next May, although it will low in this winter. Southern people cannot see it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  18 50.44   38 27.6   2.012   1.806    63   10.1     11.3  24.2  18:21 (120, 28)  
Dec. 26  18 53.49   39 49.9   1.985   1.784    63   10.0     14.4  22.4  18:25 (123, 23)  

* C/1998 U5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
It has become small and faint. There is a sign to fade out more rapidly than the ephemeris in December. It is going lower rapidly. The chance is until the end of December. Southern people cannot see it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  21 19.39   22  5.7   1.182   1.236    68   10.3     30.4 205.9  18:21 ( 83, 50)  
Dec. 26  21 14.22   19 25.9   1.372   1.237    60   10.6     20.5 202.8  18:25 ( 86, 41)  

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

Image: 1998 Dec. 19
Rapidly brightening while approaching to the earth and the tail is getting greater. Now it is 10 mag visually. It will be 11 mag until next April. Very low for Southern people.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19   6 50.04   39 44.2   1.339   2.285   158   10.8     11.2 232.9   1:01 (180, 85)  
Dec. 26   6 44.23   38 50.3   1.305   2.265   163   10.6     13.4 229.7   0:28 (180, 86)  

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

Image: 1998 Dec. 19
It keeps the good condition for a while. It is brightening since October and now 10 mag visually. The tail is getting greater. Very low for Southern people.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19   7 25.08   41  9.9   0.864   1.797   152   11.1      2.9 275.9   1:36 (180, 84)  
Dec. 26   7 22.47   41  5.2   0.835   1.784   157   11.0      5.7 252.4   1:06 (180, 84)  

* C/1995 O1 ( Hale-Bopp )


Only observable in the Southern Hemisphere. It was bright as 11.0 mag in December.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19   6 16.20  -73 41.2   7.276   7.219    82   11.6      8.7 257.0   0:28 (  0,-19)  
Dec. 26   6  2.01  -73 49.3   7.335   7.277    82   11.6      8.5 267.0  23:41 (  0,-19)  

* 88P/Howell

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
It was 10 mag and diffused in November. It is fading out now and 12 mag in December. C/1997 J2 is close this week.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  21 30.15  -18 16.6   2.062   1.653    52   12.0     44.8  70.3  18:21 ( 43, 24)  
Dec. 26  21 50.38  -16 28.2   2.141   1.690    50   12.4     43.6  68.9  18:25 ( 46, 24)  

* C/1997 J2 ( Meunier-Dupouy )

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
A bit fainter than the ephemeris. It is already fainter than 13 mag, one reported that 15.5 mag by CCD. It locates very low in the southwest at dusk. 88P is close this week.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  21 25.08  -18  0.1   4.629   4.084    51   13.1     11.4 111.5  18:21 ( 44, 24)  
Dec. 26  21 30.44  -18 27.3   4.761   4.126    45   13.2     11.7 107.8  18:25 ( 49, 20)  

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Although 14 mag visually, 16 mag by CCD. It will reach to 7 mag next year but the condition is bad for Northern people.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  23 30.82    4 25.2   2.725   2.868    88   13.8     16.3 229.2  18:21 ( 20, 58)  
Dec. 26  23 25.76    3 16.3   2.805   2.797    79   13.7     13.0 226.0  18:25 ( 34, 53)  

* 4P/Faye

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Brightening well. 14 mag visually and 15 mag by CCD. It will be at conjunction soon and we cannot see it for a year after that. So now is the chance to observe it, but very low at dusk. It is still close to Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009) this week.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  21 11.17  -11  6.7   2.618   2.126    50   14.1     28.4  79.3  18:21 ( 52, 27)  
Dec. 26  21 24.71  -10 26.3   2.641   2.087    46   13.9     29.8  78.0  18:25 ( 56, 25)  

* 93P/Lovas 1

Image: 1998 Dec. 19
Still bright as 13 mag both visually and by CCD. Because it has brightened rapidly before perihelion, the ephemeris says it should fade out rapidly after this. However, the recent observations impliy the comet may keeps the current brightness some more. Southern people cannot observe it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19   6 27.40   47 32.8   0.883   1.821   154   14.0     10.0 238.4   0:39 (180, 77)  
Dec. 26   6 21.45   46 46.6   0.904   1.848   156   14.3     11.7 227.5   0:05 (180, 78)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


Beginning to be observable. We could not catch it on Dec. 6 as <14.5 mag, on Dec. 13 as <16 mag. So it is not in ourburst now.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  14 50.73  -25  9.8   6.924   6.201    39   14.1     10.1 111.6   5:32 (313, 12)  
Dec. 26  14 55.46  -25 35.4   6.846   6.200    45   14.1      9.6 112.1   5:35 (318, 16)  

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )

Image: 1998 Dec. 5
It locates high in the Southern Hemisphere. Now is the last chance to observe in the Northern Hemisphere. Northern people cannot observe it in next year. It was observed as bright as 14.0 mag visually in late November.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  10  5.72  -36 50.3   4.446   4.625    94   14.6     16.1 196.0   4:16 (  0, 18)  
Dec. 26  10  2.58  -38 37.8   4.332   4.585    98   14.4     16.4 202.1   3:46 (  0, 16)  

* C/1998 K2 ( LINEAR )


Only observable in the Southern Hemisphere. No observations reported recently. It was faint as 14-16 mag between August and October. It is close by SN 1998ew (14 mag).
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  21 20.07  -69  3.3   3.050   2.622    55   14.6     30.8  68.9  18:21 ( 15,-19)  
Dec. 26  21 55.65  -67 33.2   3.093   2.658    55   14.7     31.1  63.3  18:25 ( 15,-17)  

* 102P/Shoemaker 1


Not yet observed in this return. It may be much fainter than the ephemeris. It is too low to observe.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  20 42.60  -24 14.7   2.765   2.110    40   15.1     32.1  59.8  18:21 ( 48, 13)  
Dec. 26  20 56.79  -22 19.5   2.797   2.091    36   15.0     32.7  59.4  18:25 ( 52, 12)  

* P/1998 S1 ( LINEAR-Mueller )

Image: 1998 Dec. 12
14 mag visually, but 16 mag by CCD. Slowly fading although the location will be good for a while. Now is the chance.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19   0 49.89   14 27.0   2.059   2.568   110   15.2     10.0  66.3  18:58 (  0, 69)  
Dec. 26   0 54.84   14 57.6   2.149   2.574   104   15.3     12.2  67.4  18:36 (  0, 70)  

* C/1998 M2 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Dec. 12
14.5 mag visually and 15 mag by CCD. Now is the last chance for observation but getting lower.. Southern people cannnot observe it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  19 33.80   25 45.9   3.472   3.027    55   15.5     24.8  71.9  18:21 (102, 30)  
Dec. 26  19 46.12   26 41.9   3.524   3.059    54   15.6     25.2  70.6  18:25 (105, 27)  

* P/1998 W1 ( Spahr )

Image: 1998 Dec. 19
Brighter than the ephemeris, 13-14 mag visually and 15.5 mag by CCD. It keeps the current brightness for a while after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19   4  6.31   -1 37.8   0.848   1.748   145   15.6     26.6 338.3  22:14 (  0, 54)  
Dec. 26   4  2.50    1 22.8   0.863   1.739   140   15.6     27.4 346.6  21:42 (  0, 57)  

* C/1998 K5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Rapidly fading since October. It is already as faint as 16 mag. It has a strange tail towards west (about 1 arcmin).
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19   2 27.56    8 36.3   1.784   2.533   130   16.0      2.0  79.0  20:36 (  0, 64)  
Dec. 26   2 29.04    8 42.7   1.941   2.616   123   16.2      4.5  71.7  20:10 (  0, 64)  

* 37P/Forbes


Not yet observed in this return. It should be brightening from 19 mag to 16 mag during the conjunction. Now is the chance to observe it for the first time. It will be at the peak in June and reach to 13 mag, but the altitude keeps only about 15 deg for the Northern people until June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  14 52.64  -21  6.0   2.649   2.000    40   16.2     35.9 109.8   5:32 (310, 15)  
Dec. 26  15  9.91  -22 29.0   2.557   1.956    43   16.0     36.8 108.5   5:35 (313, 16)  

* C/1998 K1 ( Mueller )


Beginning to be observable at dawn. No observations have been reported since June. It will keep the brightness for a long time after this, but it keeps very low for the Northern people.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19  14 13.89  -17 53.8   4.112   3.557    49   16.1     18.7 130.7   5:32 (315, 23)  
Dec. 26  14 20.67  -19 18.4   4.048   3.575    54   16.1     18.0 132.0   5:35 (321, 25)  

* P/1998 QP54 ( LONEOS-Tucker )

Image: 1998 Dec. 12
15 mag both visually and by CCD. It will fade soon. Now the position is good, so it is the chance. It is low for the Southern people.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19   0 20.51   26  1.5   1.475   2.001   107   16.4     19.9  76.1  18:29 (  0, 81)  
Dec. 26   0 31.05   26 36.3   1.559   2.023   103   16.5     21.7  76.2  18:25 ( 18, 81)  

* 139P/Vaisala-Oterma

Image: 1998 Dec. 11
Recovered after 59 years since 1939. All observations in MPEC reported it much fainter as 18-19 mag than the ephemeris. It will fade out gradually after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19   3 22.69   18 32.9   2.551   3.413   146   16.9      5.7 249.6  21:30 (  0, 74)  
Dec. 26   3 20.54   18 20.8   2.618   3.417   138   16.9      3.7 246.9  21:01 (  0, 73)  

* C/1998 W3 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Nov. 29
Reported magnitude has a large scatter from 16 to 19 mag. It will keep the current brightness for a while.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19   8 23.29   34 55.1   4.049   4.880   144   16.9     20.6 310.8   2:35 (  0, 90)  
Dec. 26   8 13.79   36 28.7   3.987   4.876   151   16.9     21.8 307.4   1:58 (180, 89)  

* 65P/Gunn

Image: 1998 Dec. 19
It is around the aphelion now. But the position is good. The recent magnitude is 17-19 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19   3  0.77   14  0.1   3.655   4.453   139   17.0      6.2 269.3  21:08 (  0, 69)  
Dec. 26   2 58.16   14  1.1   3.744   4.463   132   17.1      4.6 274.4  20:38 (  0, 69)  

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh

Image: 1998 Dec. 19
It is around the aphelion now. But the position is good. The recent magnitude is 18-19 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19   3 18.01   15 33.8   3.393   4.230   144   17.4      6.5 266.8  21:26 (  0, 71)  
Dec. 26   3 15.24   15 32.7   3.454   4.222   136   17.4      5.0 270.6  20:55 (  0, 71)  

* P/1998 U2 ( Mueller )

Image: 1998 Dec. 12
Rapidly fading.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19   1 31.34   12 52.1   1.428   2.090   118   17.6     13.6  72.3  19:40 (  0, 68)  
Dec. 26   1 38.10   13 23.8   1.510   2.106   113   17.7     16.0  72.1  19:19 (  0, 68)  

* P/1983 C1 ( Bowell-Skiff )


Not yet recovered. Because the position is good, it may be fainter than the ephemeris. Delta-T is large as 3.6 days. It should reach to about 17.5 mag soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 19   7 49.21   26 36.4   1.447   2.361   152   17.9      3.6 290.2   2:00 (  0, 82)  
Dec. 26   7 46.78   26 45.4   1.378   2.325   159   17.7      6.0 282.5   1:30 (  0, 82)  

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