Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 Sept. 18: South)

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 Updated on September 27, 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 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.18   8 24.89   40  1.8   1.008   0.979    58    8.7     54.0 194.6   4:32 (222, -4)  
Sept.25   8 16.15   32 45.3   0.850   0.982    63    8.3     76.2 192.8   4:21 (224,  4)

* C/1999 H1 ( Lee )

 Image: 1999 Sept. 5
The CCD images show the long anti-tail. Southern observers cannot see it until October. It passes by double cluster NGC 869 and 884 on Sept. 25. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.18   4  4.32   59  1.8   0.905   1.467   100    8.4     98.9 279.4   4:21 (180, -4)  
Sept.25   2 25.68   58 16.1   0.842   1.568   116    8.7    119.0 256.9   2:17 (180, -3)

* 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 passes close by a globular cluster M54 on Sept. 24. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept.18  18 36.42  -30 29.0   0.888   1.485   103   10.0     37.9 102.2  19:16 (126, 83)  
Sept.25  18 57.10  -31 14.2   0.933   1.491   100   10.2     39.2  97.5  19:22 (112, 81)

* 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.18  13 13.75   33 38.3   1.930   1.301    38   10.9     18.3  43.5  19:16 (120,-17)  
Sept.25  13 20.86   35 10.2   2.011   1.397    39   11.5     18.1  43.8  19:22 (118,-22)

* 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.18   7  6.71  -69 49.6   9.406   9.367    84   12.6      7.1 164.7   4:32 (340, 48)  
Sept.25   7  8.86  -70 38.3   9.467   9.419    84   12.6      7.1 170.1   4:21 (342, 49)

* 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.18  10 30.92  -61 38.6   3.799   3.498    65   12.7     24.2 135.4   4:32 (327, 29)  
Sept.25  10 48.63  -63 40.2   3.796   3.486    64   12.7     25.0 134.9   4:21 (329, 30)

* 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.18  13 48.51  -18 41.2   2.571   1.880    37   13.2      3.5  61.5  19:16 ( 80, 19)  
Sept.25  13 50.22  -18 32.3   2.724   1.939    31   13.5      3.9  76.9  19:22 ( 76, 13)

* 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.18   0 59.26  -32 27.5   0.889   1.804   144   13.6      9.7 266.0   1:14 (180, 87)  
Sept.25   0 53.14  -32 19.9   0.850   1.769   145   13.4     12.7 283.4   0:41 (180, 87)

* 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.18  15  6.45  -26  9.2   6.620   6.134    57   14.0      8.6  98.3  19:16 ( 83, 39)  
Sept.25  15 11.02  -26 18.5   6.707   6.132    51   14.0      9.2  99.0  19:22 ( 79, 33)

* 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.18  21 16.93   32 33.6   3.852   4.581   131   14.0     11.4 191.7  21:28 (180, 23)  
Sept.25  21 15.97   31 12.5   3.853   4.558   129   14.0     12.0 185.5  21:00 (180, 24)

* 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.18  12 18.81    4 33.9   2.807   1.825     9   14.3     37.7 116.5  19:16 ( 87,-12)  
Sept.25  12 34.81    2 34.6   2.777   1.790     7   14.0     38.7 116.4  19:22 ( 83,-14)

* 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.18   8 41.97   10 55.7   2.693   2.108    45   14.0     28.8 108.0   4:32 (247, 13)  
Sept.25   8 54.61    9 52.9   2.673   2.147    48   14.2     27.5 109.2   4:21 (247, 14)

* 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.18  10 33.07    1 48.3   4.284   3.335    16   14.4     16.1 143.1   4:32 (271, -4)  
Sept.25  10 37.42    0 18.9   4.308   3.399    22   14.5     15.6 144.7   4:21 (270, -1)

* 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.18  14 18.01   37 34.5   4.063   3.512    50   14.8     11.9 180.5  19:16 (130, -8)  
Sept.25  14 18.25   36 15.0   4.109   3.518    48   14.8     10.9 175.3  19:22 (125,-13)

* 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.18  16 54.35  -11  3.4   1.277   1.468    79   15.4     15.0  96.0  19:16 (121, 52)  
Sept.25  17  2.31  -11 14.8   1.269   1.390    74   14.9     18.7  95.2  19:22 (114, 48)

* 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.18   0 20.29    9 15.3   1.017   2.004   164   15.1     16.5 262.5   0:36 (180, 46)  
Sept.25   0 12.66    8 56.7   1.051   2.049   171   15.3     16.1 259.0   0:01 (180, 46)

* 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.18  18 12.58  -27 48.0   3.972   4.233    98   15.3      8.4 200.1  19:16 (119, 77)  
Sept.25  18 11.51  -28 42.2   4.054   4.193    91   15.3      7.6 188.4  19:22 (103, 71)

* 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.18  15 36.01   45 45.7   7.556   7.227    67   15.5     11.0 164.3  19:16 (146, -3)  
Sept.25  15 38.20   44 33.1   7.583   7.219    65   15.5     10.8 160.3  19:22 (142, -6)

* 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.18   6 15.17   50 36.9   2.388   2.473    82   15.8     17.9  63.8   4:32 (198,  1)  
Sept.25   6 26.44   51 31.7   2.343   2.504    87   15.8     16.2  61.0   4:21 (197,  0)

* 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.18   2 22.70   43 52.7   1.218   1.941   121   16.2     14.1  34.1   2:37 (180, 11)  
Sept.25   2 27.20   45  9.2   1.136   1.904   125   16.0     11.7  29.9   2:14 (180, 10)

* 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.18  18 37.03   35 54.0   1.937   2.334   100   16.1     14.3 113.3  19:16 (174, 19)  
Sept.25  18 45.23   35 12.8   1.990   2.357    98   16.2     16.6 111.4  19:22 (169, 19)

* (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.18   3 55.35   47 55.4   1.207   1.766   105   16.2     22.0 290.9   4:10 (180,  7)  
Sept.25   3 38.89   48 40.6   1.175   1.826   113   16.3     26.8 280.8   3:26 (180,  6)

* 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.18  19 24.80    3  1.4   4.904   5.419   115   16.3      5.5 289.6  19:36 (180, 52)  
Sept.25  19 22.72    3 13.9   5.016   5.431   109   16.4      4.1 295.0  19:22 (174, 52)

* 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.18   7 10.11   29 24.7   2.493   2.339    69   16.4     25.0  97.1   4:32 (218, 14)  
Sept.25   7 23.07   29  1.0   2.420   2.340    73   16.3     24.0  98.5   4:21 (217, 15)

* 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.18  15 24.79   11 28.5   6.106   5.612    56   16.7      9.6 101.7  19:16 (121, 20)  
Sept.25  15 29.43   11 15.3   6.202   5.641    52   16.8     10.2 100.2  19:22 (116, 15)

* 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.18   6 29.05   42  3.6   1.874   1.960    79   16.7     28.9  75.3   4:32 (204,  7)  
Sept.25   6 46.29   42 51.7   1.827   1.974    82   16.7     27.3  75.9   4:21 (204,  7)

* 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.18   4 49.75   12 58.3   1.370   1.858   101   17.2     21.6  88.1   4:32 (190, 41)  
Sept.25   4 59.48   13  1.5   1.318   1.866   106   17.2     18.9  89.3   4:21 (188, 42)

* 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.18  19 42.31  -14 41.5   1.604   2.279   119   17.3      4.1 107.3  19:54 (180, 70)  
Sept.25  19 44.99  -14 48.4   1.644   2.245   113   17.3      7.2  95.9  19:29 (180, 70)

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