Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 Feb. 6: North)

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 Updated on February 5, 1999
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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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* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 22
We can see it in good condition until June. Southern observers cannot see it. It closes down to 7 arcmin to a dwarf nova 1998di, misunderstood as a supernova at the discovery, on Feb. 9 at 18h(UT), but 1998di should be fainter than 19 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  19 20.71   57 12.1   1.686   1.750    76    9.6     39.4   9.2   5:29 (221, 38)  
Feb. 13  19 26.37   62  3.9   1.632   1.760    80    9.5     44.9   7.4   5:23 (215, 40)

* C/1998 P1 ( Williams )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 21
Bright and large visually. It keeps the good condition until April but the it begins to fade out after March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  10 26.78   29  9.7   1.075   2.027   159   10.2     94.3 305.9   1:27 (  0, 84)  
Feb. 13   9 45.66   34 41.1   1.155   2.106   158   10.5     81.6 299.3   0:18 (  0, 89)

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 21
Although it had been rapidly brightening since discovery, the outburst stopped in mid December. We can see it as around 10-11 mag in good condition until May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   6 18.41   29 45.0   1.327   2.155   136   10.6     14.4 179.4  21:13 (  0, 85)  
Feb. 13   6 19.38   28  5.6   1.372   2.147   130   10.6     14.4 165.9  20:47 (  0, 83)

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

 Image: 1999 Jan. 22
Now at peak. It keeps the good condition until March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   7  3.79   35  7.1   0.859   1.758   144   10.7     13.6 174.0  21:58 (  0, 90)  
Feb. 13   7  5.60   33 30.6   0.895   1.763   138   10.9     14.8 160.2  21:33 (  0, 88)

* C/1995 O1 ( Hale-Bopp )
Because the nuclear magnitude brightened 3 mag in mid December, visual observers recently reported it as bright as 9.6-11.3 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   4 57.46  -71 32.4   7.688   7.624    82   11.3      7.1 325.4  19:52 (  0,-16)  
Feb. 13   4 52.40  -70 50.2   7.745   7.681    82   11.3      6.9 334.3  19:20 (  0,-16)

* C/1999 A1 ( Tilbrook )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 16
A new comet, but northern people can never see it again. Southern observers can keep observing it while fading out. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  23 30.36  -46  8.3   1.112   0.746    41   11.3     23.0 213.1  18:58 ( 41,-12)  
Feb. 13  23 21.18  -47 58.1   1.226   0.786    39   11.7     18.7 227.7  19:04 ( 44,-19)

* 21P/Giacobini-Zinner

 Image: 1999 Jan. 16
It was a bit fainter than the ephemeris. It is probably about 12 mag already. It keeps the same apparent location until April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   2 35.81  -17 56.1   1.352   1.463    75   11.6     49.5  73.4  18:58 ( 25, 33)  
Feb. 13   2 58.30  -16 15.2   1.439   1.525    75   11.9     47.1  72.2  19:04 ( 28, 34)

* C/1998 U5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 16
Very low in the morning sky. It will be higher gradually. Souther observers cannot see it until late March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  21  6.94   13 44.4   2.191   1.421    29   11.9      2.1 193.8   5:29 (254,  1)  
Feb. 13  21  6.67   13 34.3   2.262   1.474    28   12.2      1.1 217.7   5:23 (257,  5)

* 4P/Faye

 Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Hard to observe it because it is very low. It will appear again in September as 13 mag after conjunction. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  22 55.56   -4 16.9   2.702   1.876    26   12.8     36.6  72.4  18:58 ( 79,  8)  
Feb. 13  23 12.07   -2 57.0   2.703   1.846    24   12.6     37.6  71.9  19:04 ( 82,  6)

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 16
Although reported as bright as 13.5-14.0 mag visually, it is so faint as around 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)  
Feb.  6  23 17.41   -0 31.3   3.141   2.381    33   13.3      3.2 149.1  18:58 ( 79, 15)  
Feb. 13  23 18.39   -0 48.3   3.154   2.313    26   13.1      3.4 130.4  19:04 ( 83,  8)

* 88P/Howell

 Image: 1999 Jan. 10
It was still bright as around 12.0 mag in January, but very faint as 15 mag by CCD. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  23 35.54   -5 15.2   2.654   1.940    35   13.2     36.9  65.0  18:58 ( 72, 16)  
Feb. 13  23 50.96   -3 27.4   2.741   1.984    32   13.5     35.9  64.9  19:04 ( 76, 13)

* C/1997 J2 ( Meunier-Dupouy )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Not observable. We have another chance in July, but only 15 deg altitude as 15 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  22  6.19  -20  9.9   5.347   4.390    12   13.8     12.6  98.2  18:58 ( 73,-11)  
Feb. 13  22 12.37  -20 22.3   5.406   4.435     9   13.8     12.5  98.1  19:04 ( 76,-16)

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 5
It locates high in the Southern Hemisphere. It keeps locating at altitude 6 deg until April it in the Northern Hemisphere. It is rather bright as 13.0 mag visually now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   9 19.22  -47 25.9   3.819   4.353   116   13.9     17.1 241.2   0:18 (  0,  8)  
Feb. 13   9  8.56  -48 16.5   3.768   4.315   117   13.8     16.7 248.1  23:34 (  0,  7)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

 Image: 1999 Jan. 27
It is so faint as 17 mag now. Although it keeps lower than 27 deg for Northern people in 1999. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  15 17.18  -27 49.8   6.239   6.190    82   13.9      5.3 120.9   5:29 (349, 26)  
Feb. 13  15 19.30  -28  8.0   6.125   6.189    89   13.9      4.3 125.1   5:23 (354, 27)

* 93P/Lovas 1

 Image: 1999 Jan. 21
Although visual observers reported as bright as 13 mag still now, CCD observers reported it is fading and 0.5 mag fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   6 11.85   38 35.1   1.239   2.048   133   14.6     13.6 154.1  21:07 (180, 87)  
Feb. 13   6 16.14   37 11.2   1.327   2.086   128   14.8     14.5 143.8  20:44 (180, 88)

* 37P/Forbes
Not yet observed in this return. The ephemeris says it will be bright as 15 mag, so CCD observers may catch it soon. Now is the chance to observe it for the first time. But there are so many stars around and the observation is very hard. 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)  
Feb.  6  17 11.00  -28 51.2   2.021   1.711    57   14.8     43.1  97.4   5:29 (324, 16)  
Feb. 13  17 34.19  -29 23.0   1.940   1.674    59   14.6     44.2  94.9   5:23 (324, 15)

* 102P/Shoemaker 1
Not yet observed in this return. Although it is not observable now, we can observe it for a while as 15-16 mag after appearing again at dawn as 15 mag in next summer. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  22 21.26   -9 35.3   2.929   2.006    16   14.9     35.3  56.5  18:58 ( 80, -2)  
Feb. 13  22 35.19   -7 17.4   2.942   1.998    13   14.9     35.6  56.1  19:04 ( 84, -4)

* P/1998 W1 ( Spahr )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 10
Bright as around 14.0 mag visually, around 15.0 mag by CCD. The brightness is at peak now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   4 20.82   19 37.8   1.130   1.735   109   14.9     28.6  38.7  19:16 (  0, 75)  
Feb. 13   4 30.51   22  7.3   1.196   1.743   105   15.0     29.1  45.5  19:04 (  6, 77)

* 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. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   0 23.45  -54 23.9   3.394   2.904    52   15.3     30.3  47.4  18:58 ( 29,-11)  
Feb. 13   0 40.56  -51 60.0   3.453   2.949    52   15.4     29.8  46.9  19:04 ( 33,-11)

* 60P/Tsuchinshan 2

 Image: 1998 Dec. 24
Brightened rapidly. But the outburst seemed to have stopped at 17.0 mag. So it is actually about 1 mag fainter than the ephemeris. It keeps the same brightness for a while after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   6 17.35   21 38.3   0.938   1.792   137   15.6      7.1 151.0  21:12 (  0, 77)  
Feb. 13   6 20.09   20 56.7   0.974   1.783   130   15.5      9.5 127.3  20:48 (  0, 76)

* 140P/Bowell-Skiff

 Image: 1999 Jan. 12
It keeps 16 mag for a while after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   6 38.48   27 53.7   1.345   2.204   141   16.0      4.3 235.0  21:33 (  0, 83)  
Feb. 13   6 37.47   27 34.9   1.366   2.174   134   15.9      2.9 184.6  21:05 (  0, 83)

* P/1998 Y2 ( Li )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 10
The current brightness and condition will keep until early April. Visual observers reported it much brighter, 13.5-14.0 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   3  3.69    5 51.9   2.382   2.553    88   16.0     21.2  43.1  18:58 ( 29, 58)  
Feb. 13   3 10.89    7 38.6   2.476   2.563    83   16.1     22.0  47.0  19:04 ( 41, 56)

* P/1998 S1 ( LINEAR-Mueller )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 12
14 mag visually, but 16 mag by CCD. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   1 41.95   19 18.0   2.727   2.632    74   16.0     21.1  69.9  18:58 ( 73, 55)  
Feb. 13   1 51.99   20  9.3   2.823   2.645    69   16.1     22.0  70.3  19:04 ( 79, 51)

* C/1998 M2 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 12
14.5 mag visually and 15 mag by CCD. Although it is very low now, it will be higher gradually and we can trace it while fading gradually after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  21  3.32   33 46.0   3.822   3.271    49   16.1     26.0  63.5   5:29 (238, 13)  
Feb. 13  21 16.42   35  8.3   3.870   3.310    49   16.1     25.9  62.4   5:23 (238, 15)

* 10P/Tempel 2
It is getting brighter now, so CCD observers will catch it soon. It should be fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  15 56.33   -8 14.9   2.445   2.444    78   16.3     22.4  93.9   5:29 (331, 42)  
Feb. 13  16  6.77   -8 23.0   2.320   2.403    82   16.1     21.9  92.1   5:23 (335, 43)

* 95P/(2060) Chiron

 Image: 1999 Jan. 22
17.0 mag on Jan. 22. Although it was 0.5 mag fainter than the ephemeris in 1997 and 1998, it is now 1 mag fainter than the ephemeris. It closes to 105P/Singer Brewster (18.9 mag) down to 24 arcmin at 21h(UT) on Feb. 5. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  16  4.69  -17 36.8   9.524   9.303    74   16.2      4.0  93.0   5:29 (333, 33)  
Feb. 13  16  6.49  -17 37.7   9.419   9.313    80   16.1      3.4  90.9   5:23 (339, 35)

* 134P/Kowal-Vavrova
No observations reported since last May. It appears at dawn. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  17 25.41  -20 42.3   3.097   2.655    54   17.4     24.5  90.4   5:29 (317, 21)  
Feb. 13  17 37.40  -20 41.1   3.037   2.670    59   17.4     23.6  88.9   5:23 (319, 22)

* (3200) Phaethon
Mother asteroid of Geminids. CCD observers will be able to catch it because it is stellar in a good position. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   1 50.07   20 51.4   1.905   1.928    76   17.4     10.5 112.7  18:58 ( 73, 58)  
Feb. 13   1 55.47   20 27.7   1.960   1.875    70   17.4     12.2 102.9  19:04 ( 78, 52)

* C/1998 K1 ( Mueller )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 22
Appearing at dawn now, but it is very faint now. 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)  
Feb.  6  14 51.48  -27 29.7   3.599   3.702    88   17.5     12.9 151.6   5:29 (355, 27)  
Feb. 13  14 54.31  -28 48.8   3.522   3.726    94   17.4     12.1 158.1   5:23 (  0, 26)

* C/1998 K5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 16
Fading now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   2 54.42   10 54.3   2.981   3.101    87   17.5     13.0  71.6  18:58 ( 37, 61)  
Feb. 13   3  0.49   11 23.4   3.161   3.180    82   17.7     13.8  72.3  19:04 ( 49, 58)

* 1997 CU26

 Image: 1999 Jan. 22
A Centaur asteroid. CCD observers will be able to catch it because it is stellar in a good position. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   9 23.83    5 22.0  12.546  13.516   169   17.6      3.5 278.8   0:22 (  0, 60)  
Feb. 13   9 22.19    5 26.1  12.539  13.513   170   17.6      3.5 280.3  23:49 (  0, 60)

* P/1998 U4 ( Spahr )
It will be lower than 40 deg in March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   3 42.66  -11 53.5   3.665   3.842    92   17.7      8.9  41.1  18:58 (  7, 43)  
Feb. 13   3 45.80  -11  5.9   3.753   3.842    87   17.7     10.1  46.9  19:04 ( 17, 42)

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh

 Image: 1998 Dec. 19
It is around the aphelion now. The recent magnitude is a bit brighter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   3 15.43   16 29.7   3.982   4.170    94   17.7      5.6  62.8  18:58 ( 33, 69)  
Feb. 13   3 18.21   16 48.7   4.082   4.161    87   17.7      7.0  65.9  19:04 ( 49, 65)

* 135P/Shoemaker-Levy 8
No observations reported recently. Maybe much fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  11 49.01   -5  8.7   2.384   3.176   136   17.9      3.3 285.8   2:47 (  0, 50)  
Feb. 13  11 47.05   -4 58.6   2.303   3.159   144   17.8      5.5 291.2   2:17 (  0, 50)

* 65P/Gunn

 Image: 1998 Dec. 19
It is around the aphelion now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   2 58.66   15  9.5   4.415   4.522    89   17.9      5.4  59.4  18:58 ( 40, 65)  
Feb. 13   3  1.23   15 29.8   4.536   4.531    83   18.0      6.7  62.9  19:04 ( 54, 61)

* C/1998 M3 ( Larsen )
Not yet observed since it appeared at dawn. We can observe it in good condition after March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  16 45.75   13 28.6   6.165   5.954    73   18.2     10.4  16.0   5:29 (297, 53)  
Feb. 13  16 46.89   14 41.0   6.078   5.967    78   18.2     10.8   9.9   5:23 (301, 57)

* (5145) Pholus
A Centaur asteroid. CCD observers will be able to catch it because it is stellar. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  14 25.20   12 20.2  13.555  13.852   105   18.4      1.8  15.7   5:22 (  0, 67)  
Feb. 13  14 25.32   12 32.8  13.472  13.871   111   18.4      1.9 359.7   4:55 (  0, 68)

* C/1998 Y1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 10
It has faded out much faster than expected, already so faint. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   6 52.70   40 31.8   1.125   1.985   140   18.7     14.0  14.8  21:47 (180, 84)  
Feb. 13   6 55.76   41 53.7   1.214   2.027   133   19.1     11.8  32.1  21:23 (180, 83)

* P/1998 X1 ( ODAS )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 22
A bit brighter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6   9 37.41   15 39.9   1.528   2.511   175   18.9     13.4 286.7   0:36 (  0, 71)  
Feb. 13   9 31.26   16  5.8   1.556   2.542   175   19.0     12.9 285.9   0:02 (  0, 71)

* 49P/Arend-Rigaux
Extremely faint, but it is stellar. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  6  14 44.15    5 29.9   2.155   2.512    99   19.2     10.6  54.0   5:29 (354, 60)  
Feb. 13  14 47.52    6 17.0   2.116   2.560   105   19.2      9.2  38.7   5:17 (  0, 61)

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