Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 Feb. 13: North)

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 Updated on February 14, 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. Northern observers can see it all night now. Southern observers cannot see it. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13  19 26.37   62  3.9   1.632   1.760    80    9.5     44.9   7.4   5:23 (215, 40)  
Feb. 20  19 32.36   67 35.1   1.586   1.776    83    9.5     50.3   5.7   5:16 (208, 42)

* C/1998 P1 ( Williams )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 21
Bright and large. 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. 13   9 45.66   34 41.1   1.155   2.106   158   10.5     81.6 299.3   0:18 (  0, 89)  
Feb. 20   9  7.09   38 22.2   1.277   2.186   149   10.9     65.3 292.2  23:03 (180, 86)

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 21
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. 13   6 19.38   28  5.6   1.372   2.147   130   10.6     14.4 165.9  20:47 (  0, 83)  
Feb. 20   6 22.09   26 30.3   1.425   2.141   123   10.7     14.9 152.9  20:22 (  0, 81)

* 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. 13   7  5.60   33 30.6   0.895   1.763   138   10.9     14.8 160.2  21:33 (  0, 88)  
Feb. 20   7  9.37   31 52.4   0.939   1.770   133   11.0     16.5 148.5  21:09 (  0, 87)

* C/1995 O1 ( Hale-Bopp )
Only southern people can observe it. Norhtern people can never see it again. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13   4 52.40  -70 50.2   7.745   7.681    82   11.3      6.9 334.3  19:20 (  0,-16)  
Feb. 20   4 48.96  -70  6.0   7.802   7.738    82   11.3      6.7 343.0  19:10 (  2,-15)

* C/1999 A1 ( Tilbrook )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 16
Only southern people can observe it. It will appear at dawn as 17 mag in mid June for Norhtern observers. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13  23 21.18  -47 58.1   1.226   0.786    39   11.7     18.7 227.7  19:04 ( 44,-19)  
Feb. 20  23 11.41  -49  9.4   1.316   0.846    39   12.2     15.9 239.0  19:10 ( 46,-26)

* 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. 13  21  6.67   13 34.3   2.262   1.474    28   12.2      1.1 217.7   5:23 (257,  5)  
Feb. 20  21  6.24   13 31.8   2.313   1.532    29   12.4      1.1 276.6   5:16 (260,  9)

* 4P/Faye

 Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Too low to observe. It will appear again in September as 13 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13  23 12.07   -2 57.0   2.703   1.846    24   12.6     37.6  71.9  19:04 ( 82,  6)  
Feb. 20  23 28.93   -1 33.2   2.702   1.817    21   12.4     38.5  71.5  19:10 ( 86,  3)

* 21P/Giacobini-Zinner

 Image: 1999 Jan. 16
It has already became rather faint. It keeps the same apparent location until April. It closes to galaxy NGC 1199(11.5 mag, 2.2'), NGC 1209(11.4 mag, 2.6') on Feb. 15. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13   2 58.30  -16 15.2   1.439   1.525    75   12.8     47.1  72.2  19:04 ( 28, 34)  
Feb. 20   3 19.42  -14 34.0   1.531   1.588    74   13.2     44.9  71.5  19:10 ( 33, 34)

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 16
Too low to observe. It will appear again in early May as 10 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13  23 18.39   -0 48.3   3.154   2.313    26   13.1      3.4 130.4  19:04 ( 83,  8)  
Feb. 20  23 19.76   -1  2.0   3.152   2.246    19   13.0      3.7 118.1  19:10 ( 88,  1)

* 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. 13  23 50.96   -3 27.4   2.741   1.984    32   13.5     35.9  64.9  19:04 ( 76, 13)  
Feb. 20   0  5.93   -1 42.2   2.825   2.028    29   13.7     34.9  64.9  19:10 ( 81, 11)

* 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. 13   9  8.56  -48 16.5   3.768   4.315   117   13.8     16.7 248.1  23:34 (  0,  7)  
Feb. 20   8 57.53  -48 52.6   3.727   4.279   117   13.7     16.2 255.1  22:56 (  0,  6)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

 Image: 1999 Jan. 27
It is so faint as 17 mag now. It keeps the current altitude until July in the Norhtern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13  15 19.30  -28  8.0   6.125   6.189    89   13.9      4.3 125.1   5:23 (354, 27)  
Feb. 20  15 20.90  -28 24.5   6.011   6.187    95   13.8      3.4 132.0   5:16 (358, 27)

* C/1997 J2 ( Meunier-Dupouy )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Not observable. It will appear again in late May as 14 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13  22 12.37  -20 22.3   5.406   4.435     9   13.8     12.5  98.1  19:04 ( 76,-16)  
Feb. 20  22 18.54  -20 34.7   5.452   4.480     9   13.9     12.4  98.3  19:10 ( 80,-22)

* 37P/Forbes
Not yet observed in this return. The ephemeris says it will be bright as 14 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. It closes to Nova Sco 1997 down to 0.39 deg on Feb. 18 (21h UT), however, the nova will be too faint. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13  17 34.19  -29 23.0   1.940   1.674    59   14.6     44.2  94.9   5:23 (324, 15)  
Feb. 20  17 58.11  -29 41.8   1.862   1.640    61   14.4     45.2  92.3   5:16 (324, 15)

* 93P/Lovas 1

 Image: 1999 Jan. 21
Fading now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13   6 16.14   37 11.2   1.327   2.086   128   14.8     14.5 143.8  20:44 (180, 88)  
Feb. 20   6 21.77   35 51.6   1.422   2.125   122   15.0     15.5 135.5  20:22 (180, 89)

* 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. 13  22 35.19   -7 17.4   2.942   1.998    13   14.9     35.6  56.1  19:04 ( 84, -4)  
Feb. 20  22 49.09   -4 57.3   2.952   1.990    11   14.8     35.9  55.8  19:10 ( 89, -7)

* 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. 13   4 30.51   22  7.3   1.196   1.743   105   15.0     29.1  45.5  19:04 (  6, 77)  
Feb. 20   4 41.75   24 23.0   1.267   1.753   101   15.2     29.7  51.7  19:10 ( 32, 78)

* 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. 13   6 37.47   27 34.9   1.366   2.174   134   15.9      2.9 184.6  21:05 (  0, 83)  
Feb. 20   6 38.27   27 13.4   1.395   2.146   127   15.9      4.6 134.5  20:38 (  0, 82)

* 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. 13  16  6.77   -8 23.0   2.320   2.403    82   16.1     21.9  92.1   5:23 (335, 43)  
Feb. 20  16 17.00   -8 26.2   2.194   2.361    87   15.9     21.4  90.3   5:16 (338, 44)

* 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. 13   3 10.89    7 38.6   2.476   2.563    83   16.1     22.0  47.0  19:04 ( 41, 56)  
Feb. 20   3 18.84    9 21.7   2.573   2.574    79   16.2     22.7  50.5  19:10 ( 52, 54)

* P/1998 S1 ( LINEAR-Mueller )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 12
14 mag visually, but 16 mag by CCD. It closes to (3200) Phaethon down to 0.41 deg on Feb. 16 (12h UT). 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13   1 51.99   20  9.3   2.823   2.645    69   16.1     22.0  70.3  19:04 ( 79, 51)  
Feb. 20   2  2.50   21  1.4   2.918   2.658    65   16.2     22.7  70.7  19:10 ( 84, 47)

* 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. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13  16  6.49  -17 37.7   9.419   9.313    80   16.1      3.4  90.9   5:23 (339, 35)  
Feb. 20  16  7.97  -17 37.5   9.313   9.323    87   16.1      2.7  87.8   5:16 (344, 36)

* C/1998 M2 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 12
14.5 mag visually and 15 mag by CCD. 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. 13  21 16.42   35  8.3   3.870   3.310    49   16.1     25.9  62.4   5:23 (238, 15)  
Feb. 20  21 29.53   36 32.8   3.918   3.350    48   16.2     25.6  61.4   5:16 (237, 17)

* C/1998 M1 ( LINEAR )
Appearing at dawn. Last observation is on Sept. 16. It keeps 16 mag until August, locating in good position. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13  20 20.46   -7 55.5   4.187   3.287    21   16.3     24.0  68.2   5:23 (281,  2)  
Feb. 20  20 30.82   -6 51.8   4.176   3.309    25   16.3     23.6  66.9   5:16 (282,  5)

* 60P/Tsuchinshan 2

 Image: 1998 Dec. 24
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. 13   6 20.09   20 56.7   0.974   1.783   130   17.0      9.5 127.3  20:48 (  0, 76)  
Feb. 20   6 24.86   20 17.9   1.015   1.777   124   17.1     12.7 114.9  20:25 (  0, 75)

* 134P/Kowal-Vavrova
No observations reported since last May. It appears at dawn. It is close to a globular cluster NGC 6440(9.7 mag, 5.4') on Feb. 20. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13  17 37.40  -20 41.1   3.037   2.670    59   17.4     23.6  88.9   5:23 (319, 22)  
Feb. 20  17 48.88  -20 35.9   2.975   2.685    63   17.4     22.5  87.5   5:16 (321, 23)

* (3200) Phaethon
Mother asteroid of Geminids. CCD observers will be able to catch it because it is stellar in a good position. It closes to P/1998 S1 (LINEAR-Mueller) down to 0.41 deg on Feb. 16 (12h UT). 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13   1 55.47   20 27.7   1.960   1.875    70   17.4     12.2 102.9  19:04 ( 78, 52)  
Feb. 20   2  1.91   20 12.7   2.007   1.819    64   17.4     14.0  96.5  19:10 ( 83, 46)

* C/1998 K1 ( Mueller )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 22
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. 13  14 54.31  -28 48.8   3.522   3.726    94   17.4     12.1 158.1   5:23 (  0, 26)  
Feb. 20  14 56.27  -30  6.8   3.447   3.751   100   17.4     11.4 165.8   4:58 (  0, 25)

* 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. 13   9 22.19    5 26.1  12.539  13.513   170   17.6      3.5 280.3  23:49 (  0, 60)  
Feb. 20   9 20.58    5 30.8  12.548  13.510   166   17.6      3.5 281.7  23:20 (  0, 61)

* 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. 13  11 47.05   -4 58.6   2.303   3.159   144   17.8      5.5 291.2   2:17 (  0, 50)  
Feb. 20  11 44.22   -4 40.9   2.234   3.142   152   17.7      7.5 293.9   1:47 (  0, 50)

* 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. 13   3  0.49   11 23.4   3.161   3.180    82   17.7     13.8  72.3  19:04 ( 49, 58)  
Feb. 20   3  6.89   11 52.8   3.339   3.259    76   17.9     14.4  72.9  19:10 ( 58, 54)

* 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. 13   3 45.80  -11  5.9   3.753   3.842    87   17.7     10.1  46.9  19:04 ( 17, 42)  
Feb. 20   3 49.65  -10 17.3   3.840   3.841    82   17.8     11.2  51.7  19:10 ( 27, 41)

* 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. 13   3 18.21   16 48.7   4.082   4.161    87   17.7      7.0  65.9  19:04 ( 49, 65)  
Feb. 20   3 21.68   17  9.8   4.181   4.153    81   17.8      8.4  68.0  19:10 ( 61, 60)

* 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. 13   3  1.23   15 29.8   4.536   4.531    83   18.0      6.7  62.9  19:04 ( 54, 61)  
Feb. 20   3  4.40   15 51.9   4.655   4.540    77   18.0      7.8  65.3  19:10 ( 64, 56)

* C/1998 M3 ( Larsen )
Not yet observed since it appeared at dawn. We can observe it in good condition for a while. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 13  16 46.89   14 41.0   6.078   5.967    78   18.2     10.8   9.9   5:23 (301, 57)  
Feb. 20  16 47.52   15 57.9   5.990   5.979    84   18.2     11.3   3.8   5:16 (307, 62)

* (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. 13  14 25.32   12 32.8  13.472  13.871   111   18.4      1.9 359.7   4:55 (  0, 68)  
Feb. 20  14 25.19   12 46.2  13.395  13.889   118   18.3      2.0 345.6   4:27 (  0, 68)

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Copyright(C) Seiichi Yoshida (comet@aerith.net). All rights reserved.