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

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 Updated on December 19, 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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* 141P/Machholz 2

 Image: 1999 Nov. 28
The component A has brightened rapidly and observed as 11 mag visually. On the other hand, the component D has been very diffused, about to disappearing. It will pass by M72, M73 and NGC 7009 between Dec. 15 and 17. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  20 33.06  -11 34.8   0.625   0.750    49   11.0     68.3  92.3  18:18 ( 52, 26)  
Dec. 18  21  8.28  -12  3.4   0.535   0.764    50   10.8     80.6  94.2  18:21 ( 50, 27)

* C/1999 J3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Oct. 24
Only southern people can observe it. Northern people can never see it again. Fading our very slowly after the approach to the earth. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11   0 20.91  -70 32.8   1.632   1.659    74   11.2     18.2 327.3  19:01 (  0,-15)  
Dec. 18   0 11.32  -68 50.1   1.796   1.744    70   11.5     14.7 341.2  18:24 (  0,-14)

* 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)  
Dec. 11  16  5.99  -19  2.2   2.444   1.517    15   12.0     47.5 106.2   5:26 (291, -3)  
Dec. 18  16 28.81  -20 28.9   2.422   1.508    16   11.9     47.7 104.2   5:31 (293, -3)

* C/1999 S3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 6
It is getting diffused in December visually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  20 26.03   52 48.4   1.717   1.932    86   12.5      3.2 235.3  18:18 (133, 52)  
Dec. 18  20 25.02   52 45.6   1.788   1.950    84   12.7      1.0 352.9  18:21 (132, 47)

* 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)  
Dec. 11  17 54.10  -75 25.2   3.943   3.439    52   12.7     25.6  70.3  18:18 ( 17,-33)  
Dec. 18  18 35.37  -74 13.5   3.969   3.441    51   12.7     25.0  63.5  18:21 ( 19,-32)

* C/1999 L3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 30
Appearing at dawn. It is about 13 mag, about 3 mag brighter than expected. It will be 11 mag in January. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  12 16.69   -6 30.5   2.082   2.011    72   13.0     14.7 306.8   5:26 (327, 43)  
Dec. 18  12  9.94   -5 18.6   1.898   2.001    81   12.7     21.0 304.6   5:31 (340, 48)

* 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)  
Dec. 11   6  8.29  -77 46.9  10.126   9.983    78   13.0      6.3 252.4   0:53 (  0,-23)  
Dec. 18   5 54.86  -77 56.3  10.180  10.034    78   13.1      6.1 262.2   0:12 (  0,-23)

* 106P/Schuster

 Image: 1999 Oct. 20
It was 12-13 mag visually in October and November. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11   0 29.86   -1 26.1   0.935   1.551   107   13.2     37.0  26.9  19:11 (  0, 54)  
Dec. 18   0 38.45    2 21.9   0.981   1.550   104   13.3     37.8  31.9  18:52 (  0, 58)

* C/1999 K8 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 5
Because it is far away, it keeps 14 mag until late 2000, while Northern people can observe it under good condition. It was 13.5-14.0 mag visually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  21 51.15   16 50.3   4.423   4.350    79   14.1     15.1 119.8  18:18 ( 59, 60)  
Dec. 18  21 57.74   16  1.0   4.501   4.336    74   14.1     15.4 115.2  18:21 ( 65, 55)

* 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)  
Dec. 11  16 14.01  -28 51.3   7.062   6.110    13   14.1     11.7 100.4   5:26 (298,-11)  
Dec. 18  16 20.09  -29  5.8   7.030   6.108    18   14.1     11.5 100.3   5:31 (301, -6)

* 10P/Tempel 2

 Image: 1999 Nov. 6
Rapidly fading, but it may be a bit brighter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  22 46.01  -20 33.0   1.685   1.748    76   14.2     38.8  65.5  18:18 ( 14, 33)  
Dec. 18  23  3.27  -18 38.6   1.776   1.784    74   14.7     38.2  64.5  18:21 ( 18, 34)

* 114P/Wiseman-Skiff

 Image: 1999 Nov. 5
Now at the peak. It is around 13 mag visually, much brighter than this ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11   2 28.37   34 31.4   0.702   1.603   143   14.4     27.6 159.9  21:09 (  0, 89)  
Dec. 18   2 34.82   31 30.7   0.714   1.590   138   14.3     28.9 151.6  20:48 (  0, 86)

* C/1999 S4 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 28
It will be 3 mag in 2000 July. It keeps a good position until 2000 February when it will be 13 mag. It is 14 mag visually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11   2 57.87   35 31.7   2.624   3.503   148   14.5     29.5 255.7  21:37 (180, 90)  
Dec. 18   2 42.03   34 34.8   2.612   3.422   139   14.4     28.3 252.0  20:54 (  0, 90)

* C/1999 H3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 8
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)  
Dec. 11  14 32.67   30 22.0   3.956   3.656    65   14.9      2.2  11.7   5:26 (259, 42)  
Dec. 18  14 32.61   30 42.1   3.885   3.674    70   14.9      3.6 348.6   5:31 (262, 49)

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 July 31
It will reach to 13.5 mag in June, but will not be observable in the Northern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  18 51.92  -37  1.7   4.651   3.791    26   15.1     13.5 116.8  18:18 ( 50, -8)  
Dec. 18  18 59.21  -37 44.6   4.652   3.758    22   15.1     14.2 115.9  18:21 ( 52,-12)

* C/1999 H1 ( Lee )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 6
Rapidly fading. It was already 14 mag in mid November. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  22 27.72    2 21.1   2.581   2.618    81   15.1     10.1 146.4  18:18 ( 30, 54)  
Dec. 18  22 30.65    1 30.1   2.798   2.707    74   15.5      9.3 132.0  18:21 ( 39, 50)

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 4
Appearing at dawn. It was observed as 15.4 mag on Oct. 17 by KenIchi Kadota, Ageo. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  10 54.31  -15  4.6   4.025   4.104    87   15.2     11.7 203.1   5:26 (357, 40)  
Dec. 18  10 51.65  -16 18.2   3.975   4.168    94   15.2     12.1 212.0   5:07 (  0, 39)

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 July 30
Appearing at dawn. No observations reported after Aug. 10. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  14  8.70  -19 21.6   3.318   2.672    42   15.3      0.6 218.7   5:26 (310, 17)  
Dec. 18  14  8.15  -19 23.8   3.279   2.742    49   15.4      1.9 266.6   5:31 (316, 22)

* 63P/Wild 1

 Image: 1999 Nov. 8
Takuo Kojima, Chiyoda, recovered it on Nov. 4 as 15.9 mag. It keeps 15 mag until April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  12 40.81    2 19.8   2.070   1.967    70   15.4     32.4 125.3   5:26 (314, 48)  
Dec. 18  12 52.93    0  8.7   2.000   1.963    73   15.3     31.6 126.4   5:31 (322, 48)

* C/1999 N2 ( Lynn )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 8
It was extremely diffused on Nov. 8 by KenIchi Kadota, Ageo. No observations reported after that. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  14 59.56   60 34.0   2.274   2.440    87   15.4     32.3  22.6   5:26 (217, 43)  
Dec. 18  15 11.96   64  8.0   2.293   2.529    92   15.6     33.5  21.0   5:31 (212, 44)

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )

 Image: 1999 Oct. 10
Appearing at dawn. It will be observable as 15 mag with a good condition. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  16 16.48   35 38.6   7.592   7.150    59   15.4      7.2 116.5   5:26 (242, 24)  
Dec. 18  16 20.08   35 18.8   7.559   7.145    61   15.4      6.6 111.8   5:31 (245, 29)

* 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)  
Dec. 11   1 15.01  -42 38.6   4.569   4.757    95   15.6      5.8 297.6  19:55 (  0, 12)  
Dec. 18   1 12.19  -42 16.4   4.588   4.689    89   15.5      5.2 313.7  19:25 (  0, 13)

* 84P/Giclas

 Image: 1999 Nov. 8
After the perihelion passage, it is still getting brighter gradually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11   5  1.10   14 38.5   1.092   2.071   171   15.9     12.7 290.1  23:41 (  0, 70)  
Dec. 18   4 55.62   15 10.8   1.129   2.098   166   16.1     11.6 294.7  23:08 (  0, 70)

* P/1999 U3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 5
Although it locates at good position for a while, it will fade out gradually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11   3 18.20   53 36.8   0.979   1.861   142   16.2     17.1 172.9  21:59 (180, 72)  
Dec. 18   3 20.84   51 31.9   1.000   1.871   141   16.2     19.2 165.4  21:34 (180, 74)

* 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)  
Dec. 11   8 40.50   24 13.8   1.659   2.431   132   16.3      2.3 200.0   3:24 (  0, 79)  
Dec. 18   8 39.31   23 59.8   1.614   2.446   139   16.3      4.2 244.3   2:55 (  0, 79)

* C/1998 K2 ( LINEAR )
Although it has passed the perihelion in 1998 September, it is unexpectedly bright still now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11   3 23.05  -26 15.7   4.643   5.263   124   16.4     11.9 309.3  22:03 (  0, 29)  
Dec. 18   3 18.57  -25 19.9   4.753   5.318   120   16.5     11.6 316.1  21:31 (  0, 30)

* C/1999 T2 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 5
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)  
Dec. 11  22 13.02   24 47.3   4.428   4.496    87   16.5      4.5 227.7  18:18 ( 67, 69)  
Dec. 18  22 11.71   24 29.1   4.493   4.450    81   16.4      2.8 219.9  18:21 ( 75, 63)

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Being brighter gradually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11   7 33.86   25 30.9   2.929   3.795   147   16.6      6.8 294.1   2:18 (  0, 81)  
Dec. 18   7 30.24   25 50.8   2.872   3.787   155   16.6      8.2 290.5   1:46 (  0, 81)

* C/1999 E1 ( Li )

 Image: 1999 Apr. 8
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)  
Dec. 11  10 37.57   23 25.7   4.191   4.560   105   16.7      8.8  29.5   5:21 (  0, 78)  
Dec. 18  10 39.42   24 21.8   4.116   4.586   112   16.7      8.9  19.1   4:55 (  0, 79)

* C/1999 U1 ( Ferris )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 8
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)  
Dec. 11   3 44.02   11 25.0   4.704   5.621   156   16.9     15.0 284.8  22:24 (  0, 66)  
Dec. 18   3 37.39   11 52.2   4.796   5.658   148   16.9     13.9 286.5  21:50 (  0, 67)

* 50P/Arend

 Image: 1999 Sept. 20
Fading out gradually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11   8 17.51   50 39.8   1.426   2.229   134   17.0      7.6 314.7   3:01 (180, 74)  
Dec. 18   8 12.33   51 12.6   1.417   2.260   139   17.1      9.4 294.9   2:28 (180, 74)

* 4P/Faye

 Image: 1999 Oct. 20
It was 16.0 mag on Dec. 7 by Akimasa Nakamura, Kuma, brighter than this ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  10 19.83    0  5.7   2.221   2.604   101   17.1      6.4 131.1   5:03 (  0, 55)  
Dec. 18  10 21.47   -0 20.1   2.171   2.646   108   17.2      3.8 144.9   4:37 (  0, 55)

* P/1999 V1 ( Catalina )
Although the condition is good until April, it will be only 17 mag at best. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  10  1.06    6  7.1   2.530   2.988   108   17.3      9.8 148.5   4:44 (  0, 61)  
Dec. 18  10  2.94    5 10.6   2.451   2.996   114   17.2      8.3 159.6   4:18 (  0, 60)

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 5
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)  
Dec. 11   1 49.66   20 33.8   6.113   6.831   133   17.3      4.7 277.0  20:30 (  0, 76)  
Dec. 18   1 47.56   20 38.5   6.167   6.795   126   17.3      3.8 281.7  20:00 (  0, 76)

* (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)  
Dec. 11   0 37.72   27 59.8   1.621   2.269   119   17.4     16.2 188.1  19:18 (  0, 83)  
Dec. 18   0 37.50   26 17.6   1.733   2.293   112   17.6     13.3 174.3  18:51 (  0, 81)

* C/1999 T3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 5
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)  
Dec. 11   2 19.40   10 39.0   4.949   5.714   137   17.5     12.5 221.3  21:00 (  0, 66)  
Dec. 18   2 15.77    9 35.3   5.023   5.697   129   17.6     11.2 218.7  20:28 (  0, 65)

* (10199) Chariklo

 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)  
Dec. 11   9 58.27    0 14.9  13.065  13.379   106   17.6      1.3 205.7   4:41 (  0, 55)  
Dec. 18   9 57.88    0  7.3  12.953  13.376   113   17.6      1.5 227.2   4:14 (  0, 55)

* C/1999 K6 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Oct. 11
It will soon become too faint and too low to observe. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 11  21  7.65   28 52.3   2.783   2.738    77   17.6     27.9  94.0  18:18 ( 90, 58)  
Dec. 18  21 22.45   28 40.8   2.878   2.782    74   17.7     27.8  92.5  18:21 ( 91, 55)

* 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)  
Dec. 11   4 58.87   69 34.8   5.191   5.910   133   17.8     16.9 274.1  23:37 (180, 55)  
Dec. 18   4 36.53   69 33.6   5.226   5.939   132   17.8     16.5 265.4  22:47 (180, 55)

* 117P/Helin-Roman-Alu 1
Fading very slowly. Akimasa Nakamura, Kuma, 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)  
Dec. 11   2 41.53   10 51.0   4.004   4.824   142   18.1      5.8 269.3  21:22 (  0, 66)  
Dec. 18   2 39.09   10 52.1   4.086   4.832   135   18.2      4.5 274.8  20:52 (  0, 66)

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