Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 Apr. 17: North)

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Updated on April 18, 1999
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Northern Hemisphere.

Please see also the Comet Rendezvous Calendar, Latest Pictures of Comets.

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* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Mar. 31
We can see it in good condition until June. Southern observers cannot see it until May. It was observed as a bit fainter than the ephemeris in April. It will close down to 0.14 deg to galaxy NGC 2549 (11.1 mag, 4.2 arcmin) on Apr. 18 at 0h (UT).
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17   8 19.10   58 37.9   1.836   2.038    86   10.4     49.5 171.2  20:02 (156, 63)  
Apr. 24   8 25.83   53 11.9   1.952   2.084    83   10.6     45.0 168.9  20:10 (141, 63)  

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Feb. 6
It is appearing at dawn in the Southern Hemisphere. But still not observable in the Northern Hemisphere, it will appear again in early May as 10 mag. It was 16 mag by CCD after all until February...
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17  23 34.76   -2 31.3   2.507   1.758    33   11.4      4.2 135.1   3:57 (272, -1)  
Apr. 24  23 35.92   -2 55.3   2.349   1.707    40   11.2      4.4 153.6   3:47 (275,  2)  

* 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)  
Apr. 17   1 56.11   10 25.8   2.667   1.668     4   11.5     43.2  73.9  20:02 (114,-15)  
Apr. 24   2 15.96   11 47.3   2.665   1.661     2   11.4     43.4  74.9  20:10 (118,-17)  

* 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)  
Apr. 17   5  2.19  -64 43.8   8.230   8.186    84   11.7      6.0  45.2  20:02 ( 26,-24)  
Apr. 24   5  7.09  -64 15.9   8.280   8.242    84   11.8      6.0  52.1  20:10 ( 28,-26)  

* 37P/Forbes


Observed for the first time in this return on Mar. 21 as 13.3 mag visually, as bright as expected. t 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)  
Apr. 17  21 15.56  -22 45.0   1.405   1.458    72   13.2     48.1  70.9   3:57 (310, 12)  
Apr. 24  21 38.08  -20 48.9   1.368   1.450    73   13.1     47.4  68.8   3:47 (307, 13)  

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )

Image: 1998 Dec. 5
It locates high in the Southern Hemisphere. But very low in the Northern Hemisphere, it will go to the south after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17   7 54.73  -47  2.7   3.702   4.004   100   13.4      6.3 319.2  20:02 ( 18,  4)  
Apr. 24   7 52.58  -46 30.0   3.720   3.972    97   13.3      5.0 333.8  20:10 ( 24,  2)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It has bursted out on Mar. 16 and raeched to 12.6 mag visually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17  15 13.47  -29 17.0   5.278   6.174   150   13.5      5.5 276.6   1:36 (  0, 26)  
Apr. 24  15 10.41  -29 11.1   5.231   6.172   157   13.5      6.1 280.0   1:05 (  0, 26)  

* 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)  
Apr. 17  21 40.10  -55 21.4   1.371   1.585    82   13.9     26.8 245.8   3:57 (329,-14)  
Apr. 24  21 17.17  -56 38.8   1.334   1.683    90   14.1     32.5 249.9   3:47 (334,-11)  

* C/1997 J2 ( Meunier-Dupouy )

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Only southern people can observe it. It will appear again in late May as 14 mag in the Northern Hemisphere.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17  23  3.40  -23 11.9   5.426   4.851    50   14.2     10.4 115.7   3:57 (294, -7)  
Apr. 24  23  8.01  -23 45.7   5.382   4.899    56   14.3     10.1 120.5   3:47 (296, -5)  

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

Image: 1999 Mar. 31
It is about 11-13 mag visually, brighter than this ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17   7 28.07   16 12.4   2.013   2.164    84   14.5     25.4 112.9  20:02 ( 66, 55)  
Apr. 24   7 39.62   15  3.0   2.097   2.176    80   14.7     26.2 112.2  20:10 ( 71, 49)  

* 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)  
Apr. 17   0 41.03   14 18.8   2.951   1.996    14   14.9     36.1  55.4   3:57 (249, -5)  
Apr. 24   0 55.40   16 41.2   2.943   2.005    17   14.9     35.9  55.6   3:47 (248, -3)  

* 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)  
Apr. 17   1 53.82   10 12.7   3.388   2.387     3   15.1     28.3  68.1  20:02 (115,-15)  
Apr. 24   2  6.16   11 24.6   3.437   2.432     1   15.3     27.5  68.7  20:10 (120,-19)  

* 21P/Giacobini-Zinner

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
Fading out as expected.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17   5 37.53   -4 10.3   2.386   2.096    61   15.3     32.8  77.6  20:02 ( 69, 21)  
Apr. 24   5 52.30   -3 24.9   2.502   2.159    58   15.7     31.7  79.2  20:10 ( 73, 17)  

* C/1998 U5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It is very diffused and hard to observe.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17  20 39.00   16  3.1   2.152   2.089    72   15.6     17.7 282.6   3:57 (283, 45)  
Apr. 24  20 29.64   16 28.8   2.087   2.164    80   15.6     21.6 279.2   3:47 (288, 50)  

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

Image: 1999 Mar. 31
Maybe it is about 1-2 mag brightern than this ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17   8 26.18   19 36.9   1.496   1.908    97   15.9     27.8 116.5  20:02 ( 52, 67)  
Apr. 24   8 38.64   18  9.8   1.585   1.934    93   16.2     28.4 115.8  20:10 ( 59, 62)  

* 95P/(2060) Chiron

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
A bit fainter than the ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17  16  7.16  -17  1.1   8.581   9.405   143   16.0      3.1 290.8   2:29 (  0, 38)  
Apr. 24  16  5.64  -16 53.3   8.528   9.416   150   16.0      3.5 288.9   2:00 (  0, 38)  

* C/1998 P1 ( Williams )

Image: 1999 Mar. 31
Although it is very difused and hard to observe, maybe it is brighter than this ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17   7 13.61   41 19.4   2.839   2.818    78   16.0      2.2 214.7  20:02 (114, 60)  
Apr. 24   7 13.54   41  6.9   3.042   2.896    72   16.3      2.0 150.5  20:10 (114, 54)  

* 140P/Bowell-Skiff

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It keeps 17 mag until July. It was 14 mag visually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17   7 42.80   22 48.8   1.774   1.992    87   16.1     26.3 105.0  20:02 ( 73, 61)  
Apr. 24   7 56.01   21 58.2   1.830   1.983    83   16.2     28.0 105.7  20:10 ( 77, 56)  

* C/1998 M1 ( LINEAR )


Appearing at dawn. Last observation is on Sept. 16. It keeps 16 mag until August, locating in good position. We failed to observe it on Mar. 22, it should be fainter than 16.8 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17  21 40.34    2 33.9   3.923   3.523    59   16.4     18.1  54.7   3:57 (285, 25)  
Apr. 24  21 46.98    3 46.8   3.874   3.554    64   16.4     17.1  52.7   3:47 (286, 28)  

* P/1988 V1 ( Ge-Wang )


First return. Bright and now is the chance to recover. It is already observable in the Southern Hemisphere. Even in the Northern Hemisphere, the comet will be higher after this. It will be brightening slowly and reach to 15 mag in September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17  23  9.20   -1 14.7   3.257   2.554    38   16.7     27.8  71.6   3:57 (275,  5)  
Apr. 24  23 21.47   -0 13.4   3.193   2.544    42   16.6     27.6  71.6   3:47 (275,  6)  

* C/1998 M2 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Mar. 12
Appearing at dawn. It was 16.4 mag on Mar. 12, as bright as the ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17  23 11.62   48 19.0   4.274   3.693    48   16.8     21.4  54.3   3:57 (229, 29)  
Apr. 24  23 23.74   49 45.6   4.311   3.738    49   16.9     20.7  53.4   3:47 (228, 30)  

* C/1998 W3 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
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)  
Apr. 17   6 11.20   45 25.2   5.436   5.135    67   17.3      0.8 341.7  20:02 (121, 49)  
Apr. 24   6 11.40   45 31.3   5.558   5.151    61   17.3      1.3  41.7  20:10 (123, 43)  

* 10P/Tempel 2

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It was brighter than the ephemeris, about 14.5 mag visually and 17.2 mag by CCD.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17  17 21.86   -6 10.2   1.281   2.028   124   17.5     11.5  68.5   3:43 (  0, 49)  
Apr. 24  17 26.30   -5 40.7   1.187   1.987   129   17.4      9.2  62.9   3:20 (  0, 49)  

* 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)  
Apr. 17  18 54.26  -18 24.8   2.435   2.844   103   17.5      9.5  72.6   3:57 (338, 33)  
Apr. 24  18 58.14  -18  5.4   2.371   2.868   109   17.6      7.3  68.3   3:47 (341, 35)  

* C/1999 G1 ( LINEAR )


New comet. It will be faint and low in June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17  13 26.80   -3 12.2   3.706   4.703   172   17.6     17.5 256.4  23:44 (  0, 52)  
Apr. 24  13 18.98   -3 41.3   3.743   4.723   165   17.6     17.0 255.5  23:09 (  0, 51)  

* P/1998 W1 ( Spahr )

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It is already very faint, 17.9 mag in early April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17   6 48.55   34  2.5   1.925   1.910    73   17.6     32.2  85.1  20:02 (101, 55)  
Apr. 24   7  6.70   34 15.1   2.015   1.937    71   17.8     32.2  88.1  20:10 (103, 51)  

* 93P/Lovas 1

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It was observed much brighter, about 14 mag, in early April visually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17   7 33.98   27 16.2   2.351   2.463    84   17.7     21.6 112.3  20:02 ( 83, 62)  
Apr. 24   7 44.54   26 18.6   2.478   2.507    79   18.0     22.0 111.9  20:10 ( 86, 56)  

* (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)  
Apr. 17   9 12.42    6  7.1  13.080  13.484   111   17.7      0.6 306.5  20:02 ( 16, 60)  
Apr. 24   9 12.31    6  9.2  13.186  13.481   104   17.7      0.2   6.1  20:10 ( 32, 57)  

* 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, but it is in the Milky Way.. 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)  
Apr. 17  17 58.16  -12 51.9   1.377   2.034   116   17.8     15.1  59.4   3:57 (353, 42)  
Apr. 24  18  3.63  -11 57.0   1.319   2.037   121   17.7     12.7  51.2   3:47 (356, 43)  

* 60P/Tsuchinshan 2

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It will be fainter than 19 mag and lower than 30 deg in late May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17   7 53.73   15 10.0   1.487   1.808    90   17.8     30.7 103.0  20:02 ( 58, 59)  
Apr. 24   8  8.36   14 19.3   1.559   1.822    87   18.0     31.6 103.7  20:10 ( 63, 54)  

* C/1998 M3 ( Larsen )

Image: 1999 Mar. 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)  
Apr. 17  16 29.74   27 40.1   5.479   6.096   123   18.0     15.3 322.3   2:52 (  0, 83)  
Apr. 24  16 24.50   29  2.4   5.462   6.112   126   18.0     15.4 317.7   2:19 (  0, 84)  

* (5145) Pholus

Image: 1999 Jan. 30
A Centaur asteroid. The perihelion passage is in 1991. It will keep 18 mag until around 2000. It will close to 49P/Arend-Rigaux (18.9 mag) down to 0.44 deg on Apr. 21 at 20h(UT).
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 17  14 17.30   14 27.4  13.133  14.038   153   18.3      3.3 292.2   0:39 (  0, 69)  
Apr. 24  14 15.81   14 35.3  13.157  14.057   152   18.3      3.3 287.9   0:10 (  0, 70)  

* 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)  
Apr. 17  11 12.94    0  6.2   2.154   3.012   142   18.5      6.5 315.2  21:31 (  0, 55)  
Apr. 24  11 11.29    0 35.8   2.200   2.997   135   18.6      4.5 327.0  21:02 (  0, 56)  

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