Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 Sept. 11: North)

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Updated on September 15, 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/1999 H1 ( Lee )

Image: 1999 Sept. 5
The CCD images show the long anti-tail. Southern observers cannot see it until October.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11   5 17.73   56  5.2   1.002   1.366    85    8.2     77.0 295.9   4:13 (213, 62)  
Sept.18   4  4.32   59  1.8   0.905   1.467   100    8.4     98.9 279.4   4:19 (181, 66)  

* C/1999 J3 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Sept. 5
It brightened rapidly and reached to 9.5 mag. It will close to the earth down to 0.5 AU in October and reach to 8 mag. Because the comet goes southwards, northern people can observe it only until mid October. On the other hand, southern people can observe it after when it appears in October.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11   8 32.74   45 16.5   1.165   0.991    53    9.1     40.4 196.3   4:13 (235, 34)  
Sept.18   8 24.89   40  1.8   1.008   0.979    58    8.7     54.0 194.6   4:19 (244, 39)  

* 10P/Tempel 2

Image: 1999 Sept. 5
10 mag visually, well condensed and easy to see. It looks cometary also by CCD now and becomes harder to catch. It is close to Nova Sgr 1998.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  18 17.05  -29 23.5   0.847   1.482   105    9.9     36.3 107.4  19:39 ( 10, 25)  
Sept.18  18 36.42  -30 29.0   0.888   1.485   103   10.0     37.9 102.2  19:28 (  9, 24)  

* C/1999 N2 ( Lynn )

Image: 1999 Aug. 31
It is fading out rapidly since late August. It keeps observable for Northern people. It locates low at dusk until late October, then it turns to appear at dawn. It passes near by the North Pole in early February in 2000.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  13  6.66   32  2.9   1.833   1.206    37   10.3     19.1  42.5  19:39 (116, 19)  
Sept.18  13 13.75   33 38.3   1.930   1.301    38   10.9     18.3  43.5  19:28 (119, 18)  

* C/1995 O1 ( Hale-Bopp )


Only southern people can observe it. Northern people can never see it again.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11   7  3.79  -69  2.1   9.346   9.315    85   12.5      7.1 159.4   4:13 (342,-21)  
Sept.18   7  6.71  -69 49.6   9.406   9.367    84   12.6      7.1 164.7   4:19 (345,-20)  

* 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)  
Sept.11  10 14.89  -59 40.4   3.805   3.511    65   12.7     23.4 135.3   4:13 (323,-35)  
Sept.18  10 30.92  -61 38.6   3.799   3.498    65   12.7     24.2 135.4   4:19 (326,-33)  

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 July 30
Not observable. It appears again at dawn as 15 mag in December.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  13 47.21  -18 56.5   2.402   1.823    44   12.9      3.5  37.5  19:39 ( 68, -2)  
Sept.18  13 48.51  -18 41.2   2.571   1.880    37   13.2      3.5  61.5  19:28 ( 70, -4)  

* 106P/Schuster


Not yet observed in this return. The ephemeris says it reaches to 12 mag from October to December. However, it will be much fainter than the ephemeris in fact.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11   1  3.67  -32 12.8   0.935   1.840   142   13.8      7.1 241.7   1:46 (  0, 23)  
Sept.18   0 59.26  -32 27.5   0.889   1.804   144   13.6      9.7 266.0   1:14 (  0, 23)  

* 4P/Faye

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Appearing at dawn. No observations reported since Jan. 12.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11   8 28.63   11 57.3   2.708   2.069    41   13.9     30.0 106.8   4:13 (269, 20)  
Sept.18   8 41.97   10 55.7   2.693   2.108    45   14.0     28.8 108.0   4:19 (273, 23)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Image: 1999 June 12
After conjunction, it appears at dawn in 2000 January.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  15  2.20  -26  1.4   6.528   6.136    62   14.0      7.9  97.2  19:39 ( 51,  7)  
Sept.18  15  6.45  -26  9.2   6.620   6.134    57   14.0      8.6  98.3  19:28 ( 53,  5)  

* C/1999 K8 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Sept. 5
Because it is far away, it keeps 15 mag until late 2000, while Northern people can observe it under good condition.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  21 18.51   33 48.5   3.863   4.604   132   14.1     10.7 198.0  21:57 (  0, 89)  
Sept.18  21 16.93   32 33.6   3.852   4.581   131   14.0     11.4 191.7  21:28 (  0, 87)  

* C/1999 R1 ( SOHO )


New comet. It will fade out very soon. We can never observe it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  11 23.88    4 22.0   1.299   0.295     2   14.1    109.2 118.0  19:39 (107,-16)  
Sept.18  12  0.62   -0 36.9   1.531   0.541     5   17.1     74.5 118.7  19:28 (100,-16)  

* 9P/Tempel 1


Not observable around the perihelion passage at all. When it appears at dawn in 2000 June, it will be already fainter than 15 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  12  3.20    6 30.1   2.835   1.862    12   14.5     36.7 116.5  19:39 (103, -8)  
Sept.18  12 18.81    4 33.9   2.807   1.825     9   14.3     37.7 116.5  19:28 (102, -9)  

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 May 20
Not observable. After conjunction, it will appear again at dawn in mid October as 14.5 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  10 28.43    3 18.9   4.250   3.271    11   14.3     16.6 141.9   4:13 (259,-10)  
Sept.18  10 33.07    1 48.3   4.284   3.335    16   14.4     16.1 143.1   4:19 (264, -5)  

* C/1999 H3 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Sept. 5
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)  
Sept.11  14 18.41   39  1.3   4.009   3.508    53   14.8     13.0 185.6  19:39 (116, 35)  
Sept.18  14 18.01   37 34.5   4.063   3.512    50   14.8     11.9 180.5  19:28 (116, 31)  

* 37P/Forbes

Image: 1999 Sept. 5
Gradually fading.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11   0 27.89    9 26.0   0.994   1.960   156   14.8     15.6 267.0   1:11 (  0, 64)  
Sept.18   0 20.29    9 15.3   1.017   2.004   164   15.1     16.5 262.5   0:36 (  0, 64)  

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 July 31
Almost stellar object. The perihelion passage is in 2000 July, when it will be 13.5 mag. But the comet is in the southern sky. Northern people can observe it until October as 15 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  18 14.59  -26 51.1   3.894   4.273   105   15.3      9.6 209.7  19:39 ( 11, 27)  
Sept.18  18 12.58  -27 48.0   3.972   4.233    98   15.3      8.4 200.1  19:28 ( 16, 25)  

* P/1988 V1 ( Ge-Wang )


First return, but not yet detected. It will be brightest soon. However, it is surely much fainter actually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11   2  7.86    6 39.5   1.741   2.558   135   15.3      6.8 169.7   2:50 (  0, 62)  
Sept.18   2  7.85    5 49.5   1.700   2.570   142   15.3      7.7 189.4   2:23 (  0, 61)  

* P/1999 P1 ( Machholz 2 )


First return of a split comet. The condition is best and we can always observe it until it faded out. It wad recovered as about 20.5 mag (m2) on Aug. 3, about 3 mag fainter than this ephemeris. It will be around 19 mag now in fact.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  16 48.18  -10 53.4   1.278   1.546    84   15.8     11.1  96.6  19:39 ( 40, 35)  
Sept.18  16 54.35  -11  3.4   1.277   1.468    79   15.4     15.0  96.0  19:28 ( 43, 33)  

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )

Image: 1999 Sept. 5
Because it is extremely far away, it keeps 15 mag until late 2000, while Northern people can observe it under good condition. Looks like a stellar object by CCD.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  15 34.25   47  1.0   7.527   7.236    69   15.5     11.2 168.4  19:39 (124, 50)  
Sept.18  15 36.01   45 45.7   7.556   7.227    67   15.5     11.0 164.3  19:28 (122, 48)  

* 102P/Shoemaker 1


Not yet observed in this return. We can observe it until November as 15-16 mag. But it should be much fainter than the ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11   6  2.79   49 41.3   2.432   2.442    78   15.7     19.6  65.6   4:13 (230, 59)  
Sept.18   6 15.17   50 36.9   2.388   2.473    82   15.8     17.9  63.8   4:19 (226, 62)  

* C/1999 K6 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Sept. 5
It will keep over 60 deg high until late November, when it will be 18 mag, so we can observe its fading out under good condition.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  18 30.17   36 31.6   1.885   2.314   101   16.0     11.7 115.3  19:39 (106, 84)  
Sept.18  18 37.03   35 54.0   1.937   2.334   100   16.1     14.3 113.3  19:28 ( 99, 82)  

* (3200) Phaethon

Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Mother asteroid of Geminids. No astrometric observations have been reported since 1996 December.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11   4  7.56   46 54.5   1.242   1.703    97   16.2     17.6 302.5   4:13 (208, 76)  
Sept.18   3 55.35   47 55.4   1.207   1.766   105   16.2     22.0 290.9   4:10 (180, 77)  

* C/1999 K2 ( Ferris )

Image: 1999 May 31
It will be over 45 deg high and 17 mag until mid November.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  19 27.58    2 47.7   4.799   5.408   122   16.2      7.0 287.1  20:07 (  0, 58)  
Sept.18  19 24.80    3  1.4   4.904   5.419   115   16.3      5.5 289.6  19:36 (  0, 58)  

* 114P/Wiseman-Skiff


Not yet observed in this return. The condition is best. It will keep over 75 deg high until next February in Northern Hemisphere. It will be 13 mag in December.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11   2 17.04   42 27.1   1.304   1.980   117   16.5     16.1  37.4   2:59 (180, 83)  
Sept.18   2 22.70   43 52.7   1.218   1.941   121   16.2     14.1  34.1   2:37 (180, 81)  

* 59P/Kearns-Kwee


Appearing at dawn, but not yet observed. It will be 16 mag and locale high in next autumn and winter, but maybe it is much fainter than the ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11   6 56.54   29 44.9   2.566   2.339    65   16.4     25.9  95.7   4:13 (262, 47)  
Sept.18   7 10.11   29 24.7   2.493   2.339    69   16.4     25.0  97.1   4:19 (265, 51)  

* C/1999 F2 ( Dalcanton )

Image: 1999 June 30
We can observe it until October when it fades to 17 mag and becomes low in the evening sky.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  15 20.45   11 42.5   6.003   5.584    60   16.7      9.0 103.1  19:39 ( 79, 35)  
Sept.18  15 24.79   11 28.5   6.106   5.612    56   16.7      9.6 101.7  19:28 ( 81, 33)  

* 50P/Arend


It was 16.8 mag on Aug. 5, a bit fainter than the ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11   6 11.17   41 10.5   1.922   1.947    76   16.8     30.3  74.5   4:13 (247, 58)  
Sept.18   6 29.05   42  3.6   1.874   1.960    79   16.7     28.9  75.3   4:19 (245, 61)  

* 84P/Giclas


It was 17.4 mag on Sept. 12, much fainter than the ephemeris. It tends to be at peak while after the perihelion passage, so it may be bright suddenly after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11   4 38.81   12 51.4   1.424   1.852    97   17.3     24.1  86.9   4:13 (321, 63)  
Sept.18   4 49.75   12 58.3   1.370   1.858   101   17.2     21.6  88.1   4:19 (333, 66)  

* 137P/Shoemaker-Levy 2


It keeps 17.5 mag and 40 deg high until October. A stellar object.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  19 41.22  -14 31.5   1.570   2.315   126   17.3      1.7 159.1  20:21 (  0, 40)  
Sept.18  19 42.31  -14 41.5   1.604   2.279   119   17.3      4.1 107.3  19:54 (  0, 40)  

* C/1999 N4 ( LINEAR )


It will be observable at a good position as 17 mag around the perihelion passage in 2000 June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.11  18 14.22   -1 27.4   5.496   5.835   104   17.4      9.5 249.6  19:39 ( 19, 52)  
Sept.18  18 10.40   -1 50.6   5.602   5.820    97   17.4      8.1 246.2  19:28 ( 26, 50)  

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