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

Japanese version
Home page
 Updated on March 13, 1999
Last week South Next week

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

---------------------------------------------------------------------

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 25
We can see it in good condition until June. It passes just besided of the North Pole around March 15. Southern observers cannot see it until May. It will be close by 11-mag galaxies NGC 2276 and NGC 2300 on Mar. 19. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13  20  3.75   87 28.9   1.529   1.847    91    9.6     61.8   3.6   4:50 (183, 36)  
Mar. 20   7 46.53   85 15.4   1.548   1.879    92    9.7     62.3 176.6  19:57 (180, 40)

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 7
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)  
Mar. 13   6 39.24   22 13.8   1.619   2.134   107   10.9     18.8 126.6  19:29 ( 12, 77)  
Mar. 20   6 47.40   20 57.0   1.692   2.136   102   11.0     20.4 121.7  19:35 ( 33, 74)

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

 Image: 1999 Feb. 7
Fading after the perihelion passage. It was one mag fainter than the ephemeris in February. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13   7 30.73   27  3.9   1.111   1.806   118   11.5     21.9 127.3  20:08 (  0, 82)  
Mar. 20   7 40.39   25 31.7   1.179   1.822   113   11.7     23.6 123.5  19:50 (  0, 80)

* 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)  
Mar. 13   4 46.82  -67 51.6   7.967   7.907    82   11.5      6.3   7.6  19:29 ( 12,-15)  
Mar. 20   4 48.34  -67  8.9   8.021   7.963    83   11.5      6.2  15.5  19:35 ( 15,-16)

* 4P/Faye

 Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Not observable. 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)  
Mar. 13   0 21.59    2 55.3   2.690   1.743    14   12.0     40.8  71.2  19:29 ( 97, -4)  
Mar. 20   0 39.83    4 27.7   2.685   1.723    11   11.9     41.5  71.4  19:35 (100, -6)

* C/1998 P1 ( Williams )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 22
Fading rapidly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13   7 48.86   41 59.3   1.802   2.424   117   12.1     26.4 274.1  20:25 (180, 83)  
Mar. 20   7 34.85   42  3.7   2.005   2.503   108   12.5     18.5 269.1  19:43 (180, 83)

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Not observable. It will appear again in early May as 10 mag. It was 16 mag by CCD after all... 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13  23 25.29   -1 31.0   3.043   2.050     2   12.5      4.6 105.1   4:50 (260,-16)  
Mar. 20  23 27.37   -1 39.4   2.971   1.988     7   12.3      4.6 105.5   4:40 (263,-13)

* C/1999 A1 ( Tilbrook )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 16
Only southern people can observe it. It will appear at dawn as 16 mag in mid June for Norhtern observers. It brightened about 1 mag after perihelion passage. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13  22 43.50  -51  4.0   1.455   1.097    48   12.4     13.0 249.1   4:50 (313,-31)  
Mar. 20  22 34.27  -51 38.7   1.463   1.193    54   12.8     13.8 246.7   4:40 (316,-28)

* C/1998 U5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 25
Being higher in the morning sky. It was 14.7 mag on Feb. 22, more than 2 mag fainter than the ephemeris. It also appears in the Southern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13  21  2.67   14  0.4   2.357   1.726    40   12.9      4.9 299.9   4:50 (268, 22)  
Mar. 20  21  0.22   14 19.6   2.339   1.796    45   13.1      6.7 296.8   4:40 (270, 26)

* 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. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13   8 25.98  -49 16.9   3.665   4.171   114   13.6     13.3 276.3  21:02 (  0,  6)  
Mar. 20   8 17.10  -49  1.6   3.661   4.137   111   13.5     12.0 283.6  20:26 (  0,  6)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

 Image: 1999 Feb. 25
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)  
Mar. 13  15 22.29  -29  2.8   5.684   6.182   115   13.7      1.6 209.6   4:02 (  0, 26)  
Mar. 20  15 21.58  -29 11.1   5.584   6.181   122   13.7      2.1 241.6   3:34 (  0, 26)

* 37P/Forbes
Not yet observed in this return. 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)  
Mar. 13  19 12.86  -29  6.4   1.656   1.549    66   13.9     47.7  83.9   4:50 (320, 13)  
Mar. 20  19 38.16  -28 21.5   1.596   1.525    67   13.7     48.2  81.1   4:40 (319, 12)

* 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)  
Mar. 13  22 36.57  -21 17.0   5.522   4.618    22   14.1     11.9 101.3   4:50 (284,-17)  
Mar. 20  22 42.34  -21 34.3   5.522   4.664    27   14.1     11.6 103.1   4:40 (286,-15)

* 88P/Howell

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Not observable. Although it appears again in July, it will be fainter than 18 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13   0 48.57    3 13.8   3.065   2.163    20   14.3     32.2  65.5  19:29 ( 93,  1)  
Mar. 20   1  2.15    4 45.3   3.139   2.208    17   14.4     31.4  65.9  19:35 ( 97, -2)

* 21P/Giacobini-Zinner

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
It has already became rather faint, but it was a bit brighter than the ephemeris in February. 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)  
Mar. 13   4 16.43   -9 51.2   1.830   1.779    71   14.3     39.4  71.8  19:29 ( 47, 32)  
Mar. 20   4 33.80   -8 28.3   1.937   1.843    69   14.7     37.9  72.6  19:35 ( 51, 31)

* 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 June. But it should be muyh fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13  23 30.74    2 13.0   2.967   1.980     5   14.8     36.3  55.1   4:50 (257,-15)  
Mar. 20  23 44.66    4 38.4   2.968   1.980     5   14.8     36.3  55.0   4:40 (255,-13)

* 10P/Tempel 2

 Image: 1999 Feb. 22
It was 18.7 mag on Feb. 22, about 3 mag fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13  16 45.73   -8  6.4   1.828   2.236   100   15.3     19.1  84.1   4:50 (348, 46)  
Mar. 20  16 54.40   -7 50.3   1.711   2.194   105   15.1     18.0  81.7   4:40 (351, 47)

* P/1998 W1 ( Spahr )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Fading now. It was 1.5 mag fainter than the ephemeris in February. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13   5 23.21   29 45.1   1.497   1.797    89   15.7     31.2  66.7  19:29 ( 80, 71)  
Mar. 20   5 39.07   31  3.9   1.580   1.816    86   15.9     31.6  70.9  19:35 ( 88, 68)

* 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)  
Mar. 13  16 10.28  -17 30.6   8.998   9.354   108   16.1      0.7  41.0   4:50 (  0, 37)  
Mar. 20  16 10.33  -17 26.3   8.899   9.364   115   16.0      0.7 338.5   4:22 (  0, 38)

* 140P/Bowell-Skiff

 Image: 1999 Feb. 7
It keeps 17 mag until July. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13   6 51.54   25 56.0   1.516   2.072   109   16.3     14.1 107.1  19:29 (  0, 81)  
Mar. 20   6 59.28   25 25.7   1.563   2.052   104   16.3     17.0 105.4  19:35 ( 31, 79)

* 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)  
Mar. 13  20 59.91   -3 28.3   4.114   3.382    37   16.4     22.0  62.9   4:50 (283, 12)  
Mar. 20  21  8.87   -2 17.4   4.084   3.408    41   16.4     21.4  61.4   4:40 (284, 15)

* C/1998 M2 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 12
No observations reported since Dec. 13. 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)  
Mar. 13  22  8.57   40 55.3   4.060   3.473    47   16.5     24.5  58.6   4:50 (235, 23)  
Mar. 20  22 21.44   42 24.4   4.106   3.516    47   16.5     24.0  57.7   4:40 (234, 24)

* P/1998 Y2 ( Li )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
The current brightness and condition will keep until early April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13   3 46.39   14  5.4   2.862   2.615    65   16.5     24.3  58.9  19:29 ( 75, 44)  
Mar. 20   3 56.63   15 30.8   2.958   2.631    61   16.6     24.6  61.2  19:35 ( 81, 40)

* 93P/Lovas 1

 Image: 1999 Feb. 7
Rapidly fading now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13   6 44.74   32 18.6   1.741   2.248   107   16.5     18.5 120.4  19:29 ( 26, 87)  
Mar. 20   6 53.82   31 14.5   1.858   2.290   102   16.7     19.3 117.6  19:35 ( 62, 82)

* P/1998 S1 ( LINEAR-Mueller )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
It will be lower than 30 deg after Mar. 20. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13   2 36.39   23 37.0   3.188   2.701    52   16.5     24.3  72.5  19:29 ( 97, 34)  
Mar. 20   2 48.35   24 27.1   3.272   2.717    48   16.6     24.6  73.3  19:35 (100, 30)

* C/1998 W3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 7
It will be around 17 mag until May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13   6 24.02   44 58.8   4.767   5.063   101   16.9      8.2 278.1  19:29 (154, 79)  
Mar. 20   6 19.30   45  5.6   4.902   5.076    94   17.0      6.3 277.7  19:35 (134, 74)

* 60P/Tsuchinshan 2

 Image: 1999 Feb. 7
It keeps 17 mag until April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13   6 49.63   18 31.7   1.168   1.771   109   17.4     21.8 103.1  19:29 (  1, 73)  
Mar. 20   7  0.70   17 56.3   1.226   1.774   105   17.5     24.3 102.2  19:35 ( 19, 72)

* C/1998 K1 ( Mueller )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 25
It will keep the brightness until May, 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)  
Mar. 13  14 56.33  -33 49.3   3.248   3.831   119   17.4     10.4 195.2   3:36 (  0, 21)  
Mar. 20  14 54.28  -34 57.4   3.195   3.859   125   17.4     10.4 205.6   3:06 (  0, 20)

* P/1999 D1 ( Hermann )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 25
New comet. It keeps 17 mag until April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13  11 55.14   -6 11.8   0.687   1.673   168   17.4     32.2 213.8   0:36 (  0, 49)  
Mar. 20  11 46.63   -9 11.9   0.697   1.686   170   17.5     30.4 216.0  23:55 (  0, 46)

* 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)  
Mar. 13  18 19.57  -20  0.3   2.777   2.738    77   17.5     18.6  83.0   4:50 (326, 27)  
Mar. 20  18 28.33  -19 43.3   2.708   2.757    82   17.5     17.0  81.4   4:40 (328, 28)

* (10199) 1997 CU26

 Image: 1999 Jan. 22
A Centaur asteroid. The perihelion passage is in 2004. It will keep the current brightness over 10 years after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13   9 16.25    5 46.5  12.661  13.500   146   17.7      2.8 285.7  21:53 (  0, 61)  
Mar. 20   9 15.09    5 51.6  12.725  13.497   139   17.7      2.4 287.2  21:24 (  0, 61)

* C/1998 M3 ( Larsen )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 22
It was 18.1 mag on Feb. 22, as bright as the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13  16 45.93   20 11.7   5.742   6.020   101   18.1     13.1 346.7   4:50 (330, 73)  
Mar. 20  16 44.09   21 41.7   5.670   6.035   106   18.1     13.7 341.5   4:40 (344, 76)

* 105P/Singer Brewster
Not yet been observed in this return, although the perihelion passage in on Apr. 6. Now is the chance to observe it for the first time. It will be 17.5 mag in May and June. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13  17 11.71  -16 25.2   1.722   2.041    93   18.3     24.7  80.7   4:50 (342, 37)  
Mar. 20  17 23.12  -15 53.8   1.646   2.037    97   18.2     23.1  77.7   4:40 (343, 37)

* (5145) Pholus

 Image: 1999 Jan. 30
A Centaur asteroid. The perihelion passage is in 1991. It will keep 18 mag until around 2000. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13  14 23.49   13 28.1  13.212  13.945   136   18.3      2.7 317.4   3:03 (  0, 68)  
Mar. 20  14 22.52   13 41.8  13.172  13.964   141   18.3      2.9 311.1   2:35 (  0, 69)

* 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)  
Mar. 13   3 27.58   13 19.5   3.861   3.490    61   18.3     15.5  75.1  19:29 ( 78, 39)  
Mar. 20   3 34.83   13 46.7   4.027   3.566    55   18.5     15.7  75.9  19:35 ( 83, 34)

* P/1998 X1 ( ODAS )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 22
It brightened about 1 mag in February. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13   9 13.42   17  8.2   1.801   2.666   143   18.5      4.8 278.5  21:50 (  0, 72)  
Mar. 20   9 11.75   17 10.3   1.890   2.698   136   18.7      2.1 267.6  21:21 (  0, 72)

* 135P/Shoemaker-Levy 8
It will locate higher than 50 deg as 18.5 mag until May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 13  11 32.00   -3  8.8   2.102   3.091   173   18.7     11.3 299.0   0:12 (  0, 52)  
Mar. 20  11 27.39   -2 29.1   2.085   3.075   172   18.6     11.4 300.8  23:36 (  0, 53)

---------------------------------------------------------------------

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