Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 May 15: South)

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 Updated on May 17, 1999
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Southern Hemisphere.

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

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* C/1999 H1 ( Lee )

 Image: 1999 May 7
In the Northern Hemisphere, it will be in the evening sky as 7 mag until mid June. Then it will appear at dawn as 7 mag in late July. After that, it will fade while being higher. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15   9  4.20  -21 14.6   0.781   1.299    91    7.6    126.9 341.1  18:33 (133, 70)  
May  22   8 48.04   -8 49.1   0.885   1.198    78    7.5     96.7 343.8  18:29 (133, 55)

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 May 7
It was much fainter than the ephemris on May 7, 13.2 mag, and very diffused by CCD. The current visual magnitude is uncertain. Although it is already higher than 40 deg in the Southern Hemisphere, no other observations except for by the Ageo Survey team have been reported since it appeared at dawn. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  23 35.29   -5 11.9   1.788   1.579    61   10.2     10.8 200.9   5:19 (242, 41)  
May  22  23 32.60   -6 36.3   1.577   1.546    69    9.9     16.3 208.8   5:23 (235, 48)

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 May 7
We can see it in good condition until June. It is very low in the Southern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15   8 45.87   39 58.4   2.357   2.236    70   11.4     33.9 161.1  18:33 (165, 13)  
May  22   8 52.52   36 25.3   2.503   2.290    66   11.6     31.1 158.3  18:29 (160, 15)

* 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)  
May  15   3 16.90   15 15.7   2.666   1.659     4   11.4     43.4  78.8   5:19 (261,-14)  
May  22   3 37.52   16 10.3   2.669   1.665     5   11.5     43.1  80.3   5:23 (259,-13)

* 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)  
May  15   5 24.01  -63 15.9   8.431   8.406    85   11.9      6.2  71.5  18:33 ( 33, 40)  
May  22   5 30.19  -63  4.3   8.481   8.461    85   11.9      6.2  77.6  18:29 ( 33, 38)

* 37P/Forbes

 Image: 1999 May 7
In the Northern Hemisphere, the altitude will be only about 15 deg until June. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  22 39.46  -14 18.9   1.276   1.451    77   13.0     43.6  63.7   5:19 (237, 58)  
May  22  22 57.67  -12  2.8   1.250   1.459    79   13.0     41.7  62.3   5:23 (230, 58)

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 5
Only southern people can observe it. It will appear again in 2000 August as 13 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15   7 53.39  -45 13.8   3.781   3.881    88   13.2      3.8  49.1  18:33 ( 58, 63)  
May  22   7 55.80  -44 59.5   3.799   3.852    85   13.2      4.6  70.5  18:29 ( 59, 60)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

 Image: 1999 Apr. 16
It was very diffused after outburst in mid April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  15  0.23  -28 37.2   5.173   6.167   168   13.5      6.8 288.1  23:28 (180, 84)  
May  22  14 56.88  -28 21.5   5.183   6.165   164   13.5      6.6 290.8  22:57 (180, 83)

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

 Image: 1999 May 7
It will be too low to observe in June. After appearing again at dawn in December, it will be lower than 20 deg in the Northern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15   8 15.99   11 30.1   2.354   2.223    70   13.8     28.1 111.7  18:33 (146, 37)  
May  22   8 28.48   10 16.6   2.441   2.242    66   13.9     28.5 111.9  18:29 (143, 37)

* (3200) Phaethon

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Mother asteroid of Geminids. Although it will be bright as 10 mag in June at around the perihelion passage, it is too close to the sun and not observable. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15   4 31.24   20 50.8   1.649   0.728    15   15.0     40.4  93.3  18:33 (111, -6)  
May  22   4 52.53   20 27.0   1.502   0.573    13   14.3     45.3  95.6  18:29 (110, -6)

* C/1997 J2 ( Meunier-Dupouy )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Only southern people can observe it. It is over the horizon also in the Northern Hemisphere, but it will be only 18 deg high in July in the Northern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  23 19.71  -25 55.4   5.216   5.041    74   14.3      9.7 139.0   5:19 (265, 56)  
May  22  23 22.77  -26 49.2   5.154   5.089    80   14.3      9.7 146.3   5:23 (261, 63)

* C/1999 H3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 May 8
Although it will be low in October and November, Northern people can observe it as 14 mag until 2000 April. Then they can trace it until July as the comet gets low at dusk as 16.5 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  18 37.01   52 15.9   3.321   3.600    97   14.5     30.0 310.4   3:09 (180,  3)  
May  22  18 17.85   54 22.1   3.280   3.584    99   14.4     30.8 302.8   2:23 (180,  1)

* 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. The brightness after late February is unknown. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  19 28.58  -58 41.7   1.255   1.975   120   14.6     50.2 273.8   4:01 (  0, 66)  
May  22  18 42.95  -57 39.0   1.255   2.070   131   14.9     53.9 284.5   2:48 (  0, 67)

* 10P/Tempel 2

 Image: 1999 Apr. 14
It is getting brighter. It was 16 mag in late April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  17 31.79   -4 27.5   0.943   1.868   146   15.1      2.3 341.7   2:03 (180, 59)  
May  22  17 30.70   -4 17.0   0.876   1.830   151   14.7      4.0 280.2   1:35 (180, 59)

* 140P/Bowell-Skiff

 Image: 1999 May 1
It will be low in late June. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15   8 38.91   18 54.3   2.005   1.972    73   14.9     31.8 108.1  18:33 (156, 33)  
May  22   8 53.92   17 42.1   2.066   1.973    70   15.0     32.7 109.0  18:29 (153, 33)

* 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)  
May  15   1 39.48   23 34.2   2.909   2.040    25   15.0     35.0  57.0   5:19 (241,  0)  
May  22   1 54.54   25 45.7   2.894   2.054    27   15.0     34.6  57.6   5:23 (237,  1)

* C/1998 U5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 May 7
Fading as expected. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  19 48.10   17  6.3   1.902   2.390   106   15.9     35.7 269.0   4:20 (180, 38)  
May  22  19 29.54   16 52.8   1.858   2.466   115   16.0     40.4 265.5   3:34 (180, 38)

* 95P/(2060) Chiron

 Image: 1999 Apr. 14
It was about 16.5 mag in March and April, a bit fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  16  0.02  -16 28.5   8.446   9.447   171   15.9      4.4 285.8   0:32 (180, 71)  
May  22  15 57.96  -16 20.4   8.448   9.458   175   16.0      4.4 285.1   0:02 (180, 71)

* 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)  
May  15  23 57.48    2 44.6   2.988   2.517    53   16.4     26.5  72.1   5:19 (240, 32)  
May  22   0  9.16    3 40.2   2.915   2.511    56   16.3     25.9  72.6   5:23 (235, 35)

* C/1998 P1 ( Williams )

 Image: 1999 Apr. 8
It will be too low to observe soon. Now it is very diffused. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15   7 19.72   40 37.3   3.608   3.128    54   16.4      5.4 101.9  18:33 (150,  6)  
May  22   7 23.22   40 30.2   3.780   3.204    48   16.6      6.2  98.3  18:29 (147,  3)

* C/1999 J3 ( LINEAR )
New comet. It will close to the earth down to 0.4 AU in October and reach to 11 mag. In the Northern Hemisphere, people can observe it until mid November. But because the comet is moving southwards, it will just over the horizon after the approach to the earth. It will not be obesrvable after 2000 February. On the other hand, southern people cannot see it until the approach. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  15 34.14   74 10.9   2.074   2.260    87   17.1     36.6 316.9   0:08 (180,-19)  
May  22  14 42.02   76 45.9   2.071   2.181    82   17.0     34.5 301.2  22:38 (180,-22)

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

 Image: 1999 Apr. 29
Fading as expected. It will be too low to observe in mid June. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15   9 16.78   13 48.4   1.866   2.021    83   17.0     29.4 115.1  18:33 (165, 40)  
May  22   9 29.56   12 20.7   1.965   2.052    80   17.3     29.5 115.1  18:29 (161, 41)

* C/1998 M2 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Mar. 12
No observations reported since it appeared at dawn, except for Ageo Survey team's one on Mar. 12 (16.4 mag). 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  23 58.68   53 57.0   4.405   3.878    52   17.1     18.3  50.4   5:19 (206, -8)  
May  22   0  9.74   55 17.5   4.429   3.925    54   17.2     17.5  49.3   5:23 (203, -7)

* 105P/Singer Brewster
It was observed for the first time in this return on Apr. 12, but the brightness is unknown. Now is the peak on the brightness. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  18 10.75   -9 11.7   1.182   2.054   138   17.6      7.4 359.9   2:42 (180, 64)  
May  22  18  9.99   -8 22.5   1.150   2.063   144   17.5      7.3 334.7   2:14 (180, 63)

* C/1998 M1 ( LINEAR )
It was 17.5 mag on May 13. It seems to be fading more rapidly than expected. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  22  3.50    7 20.1   3.713   3.652    78   17.6     13.9  44.7   5:19 (207, 44)  
May  22  22  7.76    8 28.0   3.657   3.687    83   17.6     12.6  41.1   5:23 (197, 45)

* 134P/Kowal-Vavrova
No observations reported since last May, although it appears at dawn. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  19  2.89  -17 16.3   2.206   2.943   128   17.7      1.9 349.4   3:34 (180, 72)  
May  22  19  2.15  -17  4.4   2.164   2.970   135   17.7      3.0 299.8   3:06 (180, 72)

* C/1999 G1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Apr. 13
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)  
May  15  12 58.22   -5 15.6   3.954   4.788   141   17.8     13.6 249.6  21:26 (180, 60)  
May  22  12 52.62   -5 49.5   4.054   4.811   133   17.9     12.1 246.0  20:53 (180, 61)

* C/1999 F1 ( Catalina )

 Image: 1999 May 7
New comet. The perihelion passage is in 2002. But because it will go to the Southern Sky, only until mid June the comet will be higher than 40 deg. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  12 55.60   -8 18.4   8.168   8.988   142   18.1      6.5 269.3  21:24 (180, 63)  
May  22  12 52.67   -8 19.6   8.213   8.955   134   18.1      5.9 267.5  20:53 (180, 63)

* C/1998 M3 ( Larsen )

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It is nearly 19 mag, a bit fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  16  5.92   32 30.3   5.490   6.162   127   18.1     14.6 304.3   0:38 (180, 23)  
May  22  15 59.18   33 23.1   5.526   6.180   126   18.1     14.0 299.7   0:04 (180, 22)

* (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)  
May  15  14 11.44   14 47.8  13.304  14.113   141   18.4      2.8 273.6  22:39 (180, 40)  
May  22  14 10.12   14 48.0  13.378  14.132   136   18.4      2.6 267.5  22:11 (180, 40)

* P/1999 DN3
New comet. Although the current condition is not good enough and maybe too faint, it will only be fainter and lower after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  15  12 15.47   -6 41.4   3.226   3.977   132   18.5      3.9 260.5  20:44 (180, 62)  
May  22  12 14.05   -6 47.7   3.309   3.981   125   18.6      2.5 242.0  20:15 (180, 62)

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