Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 Nov. 6: North)

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Updated on November 14, 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 J3 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Oct. 22
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)  
Nov.  6   5 24.10  -69 12.6   0.771   1.259    90    9.7     92.3 221.0   2:29 (  0,-14)  
Nov. 13   3 50.87  -74 23.3   0.936   1.334    87   10.5     61.8 246.4   0:30 (  0,-19)  

* C/1999 H1 ( Lee )

Image: 1999 Oct. 20
Although it locates in good positon until December, it will fade out rapidly.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6  22 29.86   13 17.0   1.494   2.156   118   11.5     37.2 198.5  19:28 (  0, 68)  
Nov. 13  22 25.77    9 42.8   1.702   2.251   110   12.1     27.0 192.3  18:57 (  0, 65)  

* C/1999 S3 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Oct. 20
Rapidly brightening. Maybe it is brightern than this ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6  21 22.35   57 19.1   1.330   1.895   108   11.9     31.7 251.0  18:28 (177, 68)  
Nov. 13  21  0.47   56  3.0   1.406   1.896   103   12.0     24.4 243.8  18:23 (161, 67)  

* 10P/Tempel 2

Image: 1999 Oct. 11
It tends to be brighter after perihelion passage, but actually it is as bright as before perihelion. It may be a bit brighter than the ephmeris. It is fainter than 13 mag by CCD.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6  21  9.16  -28 45.3   1.284   1.595    88   12.1     41.2  75.0  18:28 (  4, 26)  
Nov. 13  21 30.00  -27 23.7   1.356   1.622    85   12.5     40.9  72.4  18:23 (  5, 27)  

* 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)  
Nov.  6  14 21.03   -9 51.3   2.583   1.607     7   12.7     44.5 113.2   4:59 (275,-10)  
Nov. 13  14 40.75  -11 52.3   2.552   1.584     9   12.5     45.3 112.2   5:04 (278, -9)  

* 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)  
Nov.  6  13 42.51  -74 50.7   3.835   3.442    59   12.6     27.0 114.9   4:59 (342,-33)  
Nov. 13  14 29.42  -75 56.1   3.853   3.439    58   12.6     26.9 107.0   5:04 (343,-34)  

* 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)  
Nov.  6   6 58.31  -75 22.4   9.834   9.729    81   12.8      6.8 208.8   4:00 (  0,-20)  
Nov. 13   6 51.43  -76  1.9   9.894   9.780    80   12.9      6.7 216.6   3:25 (  0,-21)  

* 106P/Schuster

Image: 1999 Oct. 20
Unexpectedly bright. It was observed visually as 13 mag in October.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   0 14.47  -20 28.6   0.789   1.607   128   13.1     29.7 351.3  21:13 (  0, 35)  
Nov. 13   0 13.36  -16 54.4   0.805   1.589   124   13.1     31.7   0.0  20:44 (  0, 38)  

* 141P/Machholz 2


The nucleus D has brightened rapidly and reached to 12 mag in early November visually. It may be much brighter than this ephemris. Interesting object!
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6  18 26.90  -11 57.2   1.061   0.940    54   14.1     41.2  89.1  18:28 ( 51, 26)  
Nov. 13  18 47.53  -11 50.4   0.991   0.877    52   13.3     45.4  88.5  18:23 ( 51, 26)  

* C/1999 N2 ( Lynn )

Image: 1999 Oct. 10
Although it was 14.7 mag on Oct. 10 by CCD, it is around 12 mag visually still now. It turns to be in the morning sky.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6  14  8.64   46  2.2   2.233   1.977    62   14.0     23.9  33.8   4:59 (229, 23)  
Nov. 13  14 17.79   48 27.9   2.241   2.072    67   14.3     25.6  31.2   5:04 (228, 27)  

* C/1999 K8 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Oct. 11
Because it is far away, it keeps 14 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)  
Nov.  6  21 25.35   22 29.8   4.065   4.435   105   14.0     13.8 147.7  18:28 (  3, 77)  
Nov. 13  21 29.39   21 10.6   4.128   4.417   100   14.0     14.0 141.6  18:23 ( 21, 75)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Image: 1999 June 12
Not observable. It will appear at dawn in 2000 January.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6  15 43.53  -27 36.3   7.053   6.120    18   14.1     11.5 100.7  18:28 ( 65,-13)  
Nov. 13  15 49.53  -27 51.3   7.077   6.118    13   14.1     11.6 100.7  18:23 ( 67,-16)  

* 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)  
Nov.  6  14  3.24  -18 49.3   3.297   2.327     9   14.7      4.2 104.9   4:59 (285,-12)  
Nov. 13  14  5.11  -18 56.9   3.333   2.395    15   14.8      3.7 107.4   5:04 (289, -6)  

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Oct. 22
Appearing at dawn. It was observed as 15.4 mag on Oct. 17 by Kadota.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6  10 55.45   -8 20.8   4.251   3.785    55   14.9     12.5 165.0   4:59 (307, 30)  
Nov. 13  10 56.66   -9 44.6   4.213   3.849    61   15.0     12.0 171.0   5:04 (315, 34)  

* C/1999 H3 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Oct. 11
It turns to be in the morning sky. It will keep 14 mag until 2000 March.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6  14 26.67   30 58.4   4.180   3.577    46   14.9      5.2 142.2   4:59 (240, 12)  
Nov. 13  14 28.37   30 33.7   4.155   3.590    49   14.9      4.2 134.2   5:04 (244, 17)  

* C/1999 S4 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Oct. 17
It will be 3 mag in 2000 July. It keeps a good position until 2000 February when it will be 13 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   4 17.72   36 57.6   3.008   3.899   150   15.3     22.8 275.5   1:20 (180, 88)  
Nov. 13   4  3.63   37  7.3   2.889   3.822   157   15.1     25.4 271.5   0:39 (180, 88)  

* C/1999 T1 ( McNaught-Hartley )


It is expected to be bright as 7 mag in late 2000. It keeps extremely low until 2000 January for nothern people, then they cannot observe it until 2000 December.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   1 39.88  -42 25.3   4.496   5.066   120   15.3     10.4 248.3  22:38 (  0, 13)  
Nov. 13   1 33.89  -42 46.9   4.493   4.999   115   15.3      9.5 255.6  22:04 (  0, 12)  

* 114P/Wiseman-Skiff

Image: 1999 Oct. 10
Although the position is best in December and January, it will be 15 mag at best.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   2 26.18   46 18.4   0.779   1.708   149   15.9     11.1 201.6  23:24 (180, 79)  
Nov. 13   2 23.65   44 49.1   0.746   1.682   151   15.8     15.5 192.3  22:54 (180, 80)  

* C/1999 T2 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Oct. 20
It will be 14 mag at good position in 2000 September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6  22 32.95   27 27.1   4.131   4.724   121   15.8     13.4 246.0  19:31 (  0, 82)  
Nov. 13  22 27.02   26 49.2   4.179   4.677   114   15.8     11.7 242.9  18:58 (  0, 82)  

* 4P/Faye

Image: 1999 Oct. 20
Appearing at dawn. It was observed as faint as 16.2 mag on Oct. 20 by Kadota.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   9 54.68    3 45.7   2.471   2.392    73   16.4     18.0 116.1   4:59 (312, 49)  
Nov. 13  10  1.76    2 52.2   2.424   2.434    78   16.6     15.9 117.6   5:04 (322, 52)  

* 59P/Kearns-Kwee

Image: 1999 Oct. 17
It keeps 16 mag and the good position until 2000 February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   8 23.46   26  6.0   1.973   2.372   101   16.5     13.9 107.0   4:59 (326, 80)  
Nov. 13   8 29.74   25 38.4   1.902   2.381   106   16.5     11.5 109.3   5:03 (  0, 81)  

* 84P/Giclas

Image: 1999 Oct. 10
It tends to be at peak while after the perihelion passage. Now it will be around 16 mag actually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   5 23.88   13  4.3   1.082   1.954   140   16.5      3.2 287.5   2:25 (  0, 68)  
Nov. 13   5 21.57   13 13.2   1.063   1.975   148   16.6      6.7 283.8   1:56 (  0, 68)  

* (3200) Phaethon

Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Mother asteroid of Geminids. Very few observations have been reported and this object is in the M.P.E.C. CRITICAL-LIST.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   1 19.94   40 57.2   1.198   2.111   149   16.6     37.9 229.2  22:17 (180, 84)  
Nov. 13   1  4.37   38  0.4   1.257   2.148   145   16.8     34.1 222.2  21:34 (180, 87)  

* C/1999 K2 ( Ferris )

Image: 1999 May 31
Although it will be very low in winter, we can observe it as 17 mag in next spring.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6  19 23.68    4 33.3   5.727   5.508    72   16.7      4.6  58.6  18:28 ( 51, 48)  
Nov. 13  19 25.74    4 51.0   5.838   5.523    66   16.8      5.5  61.0  18:23 ( 57, 45)  

* C/1999 E1 ( Li )

Image: 1999 Apr. 8
It was 16.8 mag on Oct. 22, as bright as expected. It keeps 16 mag at good position until 2000 May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6  10 18.78   20  7.8   4.604   4.436    74   16.8     11.0  69.8   4:59 (286, 56)  
Nov. 13  10 23.66   20 36.8   4.521   4.460    80   16.8     10.3  64.2   5:04 (293, 61)  

* 50P/Arend

Image: 1999 Sept. 20
Now the brightness is at peak, but faint.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   8  5.51   46 59.3   1.565   2.093   107   16.8     13.6  63.1   4:59 (186, 78)  
Nov. 13   8 12.75   47 43.2   1.528   2.118   112   16.8     10.9  54.1   4:46 (180, 77)  

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh

Image: 1999 Feb. 6
It locates high at dawn now. It was already observed on Sept. 14.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   7 38.26   24 18.0   3.368   3.834   110   17.0      3.2  67.3   4:39 (  0, 79)  
Nov. 13   7 39.29   24 27.8   3.265   3.826   117   16.9      1.9  34.5   4:13 (  0, 79)  

* 63P/Wild 1


Kojima observed it on Nov. 4 when the comet was 15.9 mag, 2 mag brighter than this ephemris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6  11 34.19   13  4.5   2.427   2.025    54   17.0     34.2 120.9   4:59 (280, 37)  
Nov. 13  11 48.10   11  0.2   2.355   2.009    57   16.9     34.0 121.7   5:04 (286, 39)  

* C/1999 K6 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Oct. 11
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)  
Nov.  6  19 55.27   31  0.1   2.366   2.538    88   16.9     25.8 101.4  18:28 ( 85, 70)  
Nov. 13  20  9.25   30 25.9   2.441   2.575    86   17.0     26.6  99.9  18:23 ( 85, 68)  

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )


New comet. It will reach to 15 mag in 2001.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   2  5.70   20 19.2   6.032   7.011   170   17.0      7.6 273.9  23:03 (  0, 75)  
Nov. 13   2  2.00   20 22.3   6.020   6.974   163   16.9      7.3 273.2  22:32 (  0, 75)  

* C/1999 T3 ( LINEAR )


New comet. Because it is extremely far away, it keeps brighter than 17 mag until late 2000.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   2 44.36   16 42.5   4.809   5.800   178   17.0     15.7 227.2  23:42 (  0, 72)  
Nov. 13   2 38.80   15 27.4   4.799   5.781   171   17.0     15.6 226.6  23:09 (  0, 70)  

* C/1999 U3 ( LINEAR )


New comet. Although it locates at good position for a while, it will fade out soon. It will be 18.5 mag at the end of 1999.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   3 25.95   58 38.4   1.096   1.939   136   17.1      2.4 301.9   0:28 (180, 66)  
Nov. 13   3 23.77   58 34.0   1.114   1.972   139   17.2      3.6 226.7  23:54 (180, 66)  

* 37P/Forbes

Image: 1999 Oct. 11
It is already very faint.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6  23 48.30    6 58.6   1.499   2.320   136   17.2      0.9 159.6  20:47 (  0, 62)  
Nov. 13  23 49.12    6 56.0   1.607   2.365   129   17.5      3.1  88.2  20:20 (  0, 62)  

* C/1999 U1 ( Ferris )

Image: 1999 Oct. 20
New comet. Although the condition is good, it will fade out gradually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   4 21.08    9 21.4   4.200   5.117   155   17.2     15.6 281.8   1:23 (  0, 64)  
Nov. 13   4 13.72    9 44.2   4.212   5.166   162   17.3     16.1 281.9   0:48 (  0, 65)  

* C/1998 W3 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
Fading very slowly. After appearing at dawn, it was observed as 17.7 mag, as bright as expected.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   6 32.76   65 38.5   5.246   5.771   117   17.7     15.6 314.2   3:34 (180, 59)  
Nov. 13   6 18.70   66 50.7   5.207   5.798   122   17.7     16.2 307.0   2:53 (180, 58)  

* 65P/Gunn

Image: 1999 Feb. 6
At aphelion now. No observations have been reported since Feb. 17.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   6  0.35   26 11.8   3.994   4.726   132   17.9      5.1 286.7   3:02 (  0, 81)  
Nov. 13   5 57.42   26 22.0   3.920   4.727   140   17.9      6.5 282.6   2:31 (  0, 81)  

* 117P/Helin-Roman-Alu 1


Fading very slowly. Nakamura observed it on Nov. 4 and it was 17.7 mag, a bit brighter than this ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov.  6   3  0.40   11 24.5   3.793   4.779   173   18.0      9.1 260.1   0:02 (  0, 66)  
Nov. 13   2 56.13   11 14.0   3.805   4.788   172   18.0      9.0 261.0  23:26 (  0, 66)  

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