Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2000 Apr. 29: South)

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 Updated on May 3, 2000
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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 S4 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 2000 Feb. 12
It will be 3 mag in 2000 July, but it is a few mag fainter actually. Not observable now. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will appear at dawn in late May as 10 mag, then keeps observable until early August. In the Southern Hemisphere, it locates very low between late May and mid June, however, it locates high after late July. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29   1 49.43   27 52.3   2.685   1.738    15   11.5      7.9  47.7   5:09 (248,-18)  
May   6   1 52.64   28 33.0   2.566   1.640    18   11.2      8.9  44.6   5:14 (244,-13)

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 5
Only southern people can observe it. Recently it was observed as 12 mag. 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)  
Apr. 29  22 55.18  -50  9.3   3.765   3.715    79   13.0      5.0  46.6   5:09 (309, 51)  
May   6  22 57.32  -49 48.6   3.705   3.740    84   13.0      3.3  42.1   5:14 (309, 56)

* C/1999 T1 ( McNaught-Hartley )
It is expected to be bright as 7 mag in late 2000. Northern people cannot observe it until December. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29   2 43.22  -31 27.7   3.949   3.331    46   13.2     19.2  85.2  18:45 ( 60, 12)  
May   6   2 53.96  -31 18.8   3.845   3.256    47   13.1     20.2  87.6  18:38 ( 58, 10)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

 Image: 1999 June 12
The altitude will be 23 deg at best in the Northern Hemisphere. Now it is not in outburst. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  17 15.27  -32 18.6   5.285   6.068   137   13.5      3.8 263.2   2:47 (180, 87)  
May   6  17 12.92  -32 20.9   5.214   6.066   144   13.5      4.7 267.5   2:17 (180, 87)

* 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)  
Apr. 29   4 58.95  -70  3.4  10.951  10.972    88   13.6      4.7  58.1  18:45 ( 24, 41)  
May   6   5  4.62  -69 47.4  10.985  11.021    89   13.6      4.8  64.5  18:38 ( 25, 40)

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 July 31
It is only observable in the Southern Hemisphere until the end of 2001. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  22 44.64  -61 20.2   3.204   3.316    87   13.7     27.8 132.1   5:09 (327, 51)  
May   6  23  5.94  -63 31.6   3.125   3.304    91   13.7     28.7 131.7   5:14 (331, 51)

* 9P/Tempel 1
Only observable in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, it appears at dawn in 2000 June, when it will be already fainter than 15 mag. It was fainter than 12.0 mag on Feb. 11 by KenIchi Kadota, Ageo. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  23  2.54  -14 58.0   2.204   1.882    58   14.1     30.1  74.4   5:09 (260, 40)  
May   6  23 16.11  -14  2.9   2.180   1.920    61   14.3     28.4  74.5   5:14 (255, 43)

* 64P/Swift-Gehrels
Not observable at all in this return. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29   2 32.57   20  1.1   2.340   1.342     5   14.2     53.4  72.2  18:45 (101,-20)  
May   6   2 58.06   21 47.8   2.351   1.350     5   14.3     53.0  74.3  18:38 (103,-20)

* C/1999 K8 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Dec. 30
Because it is far away, it keeps 14 mag until late 2000. It will not be observable until May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29   0 31.21   13 48.9   5.064   4.201    27   14.3     16.3  86.5   5:09 (249,  5)  
May   6   0 38.93   13 55.1   5.018   4.202    32   14.2     15.9  87.1   5:14 (245, 10)

* C/1999 T2 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 2000 Jan. 8
It will be 13 mag at good position in 2000 September. It was reported as 13.5 mag visually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  22 44.93   39 31.3   4.151   3.656    54   14.7     16.1   0.8   5:09 (214,  4)  
May   6  22 44.64   41 28.0   4.045   3.619    58   14.6     17.2 356.0   5:14 (208,  6)

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )

 Image: 2000 Jan. 28
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)  
Apr. 29  16 10.87   38 22.7   6.530   7.112   121   15.1      9.2 267.7   1:43 (180, 17)  
May   6  16  5.26   38 16.6   6.518   7.113   122   15.1      9.7 262.1   1:10 (180, 17)

* C/1999 H3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 2000 Feb. 17
It will fade out gradually after this, but it can be observed as 17.5 mag in 2001 spring. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  11 12.56   38 33.5   3.736   4.192   110   15.4     19.2 236.1  20:40 (180, 17)  
May   6  11  3.96   37 16.2   3.870   4.227   103   15.5     17.4 229.5  20:05 (180, 18)

* 63P/Wild 1

 Image: 2000 Feb. 11
It will keep 20 deg high in the Northern Hemisphere until mid June, but it will fade out rapidly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  13 30.60  -32 57.8   1.335   2.299   157   15.5     12.0 260.5  22:58 (180, 88)  
May   6  13 24.60  -33  5.8   1.384   2.333   154   15.7      9.7 267.5  22:25 (180, 88)

* 47P/Ashbrook-Jackson
It will be 13 mag from August to November. But the altitude keeps lower than 20 deg until late August. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  20 25.59  -33 40.4   2.544   2.866    98   15.8     12.9  93.9   5:09 (266, 80)  
May   6  20 32.39  -33 47.9   2.433   2.841   103   15.6     11.4  96.6   5:14 (257, 85)

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh

 Image: 2000 Jan. 15
It was reported as 13.5-14.0 mag visually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29   7 21.30   26 40.2   3.893   3.659    69   16.2     13.0  99.1  18:45 (152, 23)  
May   6   7 28.26   26 24.8   3.981   3.654    64   16.3     14.0  99.5  18:38 (149, 21)

* 95P/(2060) Chiron

 Image: 1999 June 12
No observations reported since 1999 June. The altitude will be 38 deg at best after this in the Northern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  17  3.24  -17 33.3   9.201  10.016   142   16.3      2.9 286.2   2:35 (180, 73)  
May   6  17  1.75  -17 27.6   9.147  10.028   149   16.3      3.4 284.0   2:06 (180, 72)

* C/2000 CT54 ( LINEAR )
It will be higher than 25 deg until early June. It is not obervable in the Northern Hemisphere around the perihelion passage, when it reaches to 13 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  13 21.33  -27  5.2   4.009   4.968   160   16.5     11.0 264.7  22:49 (180, 82)  
May   6  13 15.69  -27 10.8   3.989   4.922   155   16.4     10.5 266.7  22:16 (180, 82)

* 114P/Wiseman-Skiff

 Image: 2000 Feb. 12
It is fading out slowly now, but it will be too low to observe soon. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29   7 19.99    8  6.2   1.953   1.901    71   16.5     34.0 100.4  18:45 (142, 39)  
May   6   7 35.65    7 21.5   2.048   1.938    69   16.7     33.7 101.2  18:38 (140, 39)

* P/2000 C1 ( Hergenrother )

 Image: 2000 Feb. 11
It was in fact a bit brighter than this ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  11 51.03   11  0.6   1.291   2.117   133   16.8      3.8 139.8  21:20 (180, 44)  
May   6  11 52.83   10 34.9   1.352   2.126   127   16.9      6.8 130.8  20:54 (180, 44)

* P/2000 B3 ( LINEAR )
It kept brightening even after perihelion passage and reached to 15.5 mag in mid April. But it began to fade out rapidly after that. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29   8 49.47   20 10.4   1.551   1.854    90   16.9     32.5 118.3  18:45 (173, 35)  
May   6   9  3.65   18 22.5   1.638   1.882    87   17.3     32.6 118.1  18:38 (170, 36)

* 143P/Kowal-Mrkos
Recovered by LINEAR. It keeps 17 mag for a while, however, it will be lower. It may be fainter than this ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  11 18.57   -1 43.0   1.800   2.584   131   16.9      2.7  26.0  20:47 (180, 57)  
May   6  11 19.70   -1 29.7   1.858   2.577   125   17.0      3.9  69.5  20:21 (180, 56)

* C/1999 E1 ( Li )

 Image: 2000 Jan. 28
It keeps 16 mag at good position until May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  10  6.06   38  8.7   4.869   5.133    99   17.0      2.4 123.1  19:35 (180, 17)  
May   6  10  7.60   37 57.4   4.999   5.164    93   17.1      3.7 120.6  19:09 (180, 17)

* P/2000 G1 ( LINEAR )
New comet with a period of 5.4 years. It must be 12 mag and moving fast in March, when it was 0.1 AU from the earth. It will fade out soon. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  17 59.10    2 18.6   0.318   1.217   124   17.1     21.2 318.7   3:31 (180, 53)  
May   6  17 51.60    3 49.7   0.353   1.270   131   17.9     20.6 299.8   2:56 (180, 51)

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 2000 Feb. 11
Gradually fading. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  11 13.40   -0 59.7   3.333   4.059   130   17.1     17.3 302.0  20:41 (180, 56)  
May   6  11  7.23   -0  0.4   3.503   4.126   121   17.3     14.1 303.5  20:08 (180, 55)

* C/1999 K2 ( Ferris )

 Image: 1999 May 31
Fading gradually. It keeps 17-18 mag at good position until October. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  20 37.24   26 49.9   6.054   5.983    81   17.2     12.1 357.5   5:09 (195, 27)  
May   6  20 36.66   28 14.3   5.996   6.006    85   17.2     12.1 352.0   5:14 (187, 26)

* C/1999 N4 ( LINEAR )
It keeps 17 mag at good position until August. It was bright as 16.4 mag on Apr. 15. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  17 48.57    3  2.5   4.844   5.508   126   17.3     16.0 288.3   3:20 (180, 52)  
May   6  17 41.11    3 36.6   4.759   5.507   133   17.3     17.4 285.7   2:45 (180, 51)

* C/1999 F2 ( Dalcanton )

 Image: 1999 June 30
It keeps the good condition until autumn. It will fade out gradually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  17 29.58   26 58.4   6.105   6.655   119   17.5      8.0 336.4   3:01 (180, 28)  
May   6  17 27.69   27 47.4   6.101   6.691   121   17.5      7.8 329.2   2:32 (180, 27)

* (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)  
Apr. 29   9 36.70    1  2.2  13.000  13.325   106   17.6      0.5 359.4  19:06 (180, 54)  
May   6   9 36.81    1  5.0  13.108  13.323   100   17.6      0.6  56.7  18:38 (180, 54)

* 4P/Faye

 Image: 2000 Feb. 9
It was fading gradually after November, but now it is diffused. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29   9 32.90    7 39.0   3.036   3.422   103   17.8      6.3  80.3  19:02 (180, 47)  
May   6   9 36.17    7 43.9   3.173   3.460    97   17.9      7.7  87.5  18:38 (180, 47)

* 71P/Clark
It is not observable around the perihelion passage. In July when it will be lower than 20 deg, it reaches only to 16.5 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  10 28.49   21 41.2   1.901   2.454   111   18.0      5.5 179.2  19:57 (180, 33)  
May   6  10 29.24   20 58.5   1.946   2.415   105   17.9      7.2 156.3  19:30 (180, 34)

* C/2000 G2 ( LINEAR )
New comet. It will fade out after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 29  13  7.44    5 20.9   1.895   2.825   152   17.9     51.8 286.2  22:34 (180, 50)  
May   6  12 45.42    6 51.7   1.990   2.843   140   18.0     45.4 284.7  21:45 (180, 48)

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