Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2001 Mar. 31: South)

Japanese version
Home page
 Updated on March 29, 2001
Last week North Next week

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.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

* 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova
It will appear at dusk soon. Then it fades rapidly and reaches to 14 mag in late May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   1 40.46    9 34.0   1.405   0.529    16    8.4    107.6  66.3  19:20 ( 96, -8)  
Apr.  7   2 28.44   14 26.3   1.334   0.556    22    9.0    109.6  68.4  19:10 (105, -5)

* C/1999 T1 ( McNaught-Hartley )
It keeps brighter than 11 mag until late April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  18 37.50   60 43.8   1.785   1.991    86   10.2     31.5  20.0   4:47 (189, -7)  
Apr.  7  18 46.65   63 57.6   1.886   2.069    85   10.4     26.9  15.9   4:53 (186, -9)

* 24P/Schaumasse
Katsumi Yoshimoto, Yamaguchi, Japan, observed it at 12 mag visually in mid March. It will be 10 mag in April and May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   4 13.74   25 44.3   1.533   1.278    55   11.3     47.3  70.9  19:20 (131, 10)  
Apr.  7   4 37.91   27 26.7   1.525   1.251    54   10.8     49.8  73.7  19:10 (134, 10)

* 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
Not observable. It will appear at dawn as 16 mag in July. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  23 43.93   -9  0.2   2.190   1.285    18   11.2     48.3  68.2   4:47 (281,  1)  
Apr.  7   0  4.41   -6 56.9   2.244   1.349    20   11.6     45.5  67.8   4:53 (277,  2)

* C/2001 A2 ( LINEAR )
Katsumi Yoshimoto, Yamaguchi, Japan, observed it at 10 mag visually on Mar. 26. It will reach to 6 or 8 mag in June and July. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   6  3.77   -6 28.0   0.940   1.273    81   12.4     18.4 209.4  19:20 (131, 52)  
Apr.  7   6  0.28   -8 23.5   0.924   1.180    75   12.0     18.0 199.3  19:10 (123, 50)

* C/1999 Y1 ( LINEAR )
Not observable. It will appear again at dawn in June. However, it never locates high and will not be observable after August. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   0 27.18   -0 35.1   4.085   3.092     5   12.7     10.4 119.7   4:47 (280,-13)  
Apr.  7   0 31.37   -1 11.8   4.069   3.094    11   12.7     10.4 121.0   4:53 (276, -7)

* C/1999 T2 ( LINEAR )
It is observable as 13.5 mag until May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  16  2.51   33  0.3   2.677   3.281   119   13.3     28.2 283.3   3:30 (180, 22)  
Apr.  7  15 46.36   33 38.0   2.640   3.308   124   13.3     30.6 278.1   2:46 (180, 21)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
Appearing at dawn. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  19 13.02  -27 59.6   5.978   5.961    84   13.7      5.2  86.8   4:47 (261, 65)  
Apr.  7  19 15.49  -27 58.0   5.865   5.959    90   13.7      4.2  87.7   4:53 (254, 71)

* C/2000 CT54 ( LINEAR )
Although it reaches to 13.5 mag in 2001 summer, only southern people can observe it. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  20 33.15  -67 58.7   3.209   3.250    83   14.2     22.1 105.8   4:47 (336, 48)  
Apr.  7  20 59.75  -68 36.2   3.143   3.235    86   14.1     21.4 103.6   4:53 (337, 48)

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )
It hardly faded out since the perihelion passage in 2000 June. But no observation has been reported since Jan. 5. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   5 24.04  -38 56.6   4.197   4.114    78   14.6     21.6  22.9  19:20 ( 71, 60)  
Apr.  7   5 29.26  -36 41.3   4.287   4.153    75   14.7     20.9  26.4  19:10 ( 75, 57)

* 47P/Ashbrook-Jackson
Not observable. It will appear at dawn in July as 15.5 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   0 55.00    8 30.8   3.371   2.380     6   14.7     30.6  62.1  19:20 ( 89,-17)  
Apr.  7   1  7.75   10  9.8   3.391   2.393     3   14.7     30.3  62.5  19:10 ( 89,-19)

* C/2001 B2 ( NEAT )
Because it is far away, it keeps brighter than 16 mag until August. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  10 53.94  -12 36.4   4.623   5.531   152   14.8     19.3 308.0  22:17 (180, 68)  
Apr.  7  10 46.98  -11 13.4   4.688   5.546   146   14.8     18.3 310.1  21:43 (180, 66)

* 144P/Kushida
Not observable until December when it becomes fainter than 17.5 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   1 59.11   13 11.3   2.621   1.736    21   15.1     38.5  71.9  19:20 (102, -7)  
Apr.  7   2 17.05   14 33.8   2.604   1.695    19   14.8     39.8  72.9  19:10 (103, -7)

* 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)  
Mar. 31   4 25.04  -75  2.2  13.227  13.193    85   14.8      3.9  32.9  19:20 ( 16, 43)  
Apr.  7   4 29.20  -74 40.0  13.249  13.237    87   14.8      3.9  39.7  19:10 ( 17, 42)

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh
It is observable in good condition as 15 mag from February to April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  11 37.32   12 14.3   2.611   3.556   157   15.1      8.6 285.6  23:01 (180, 43)  
Apr.  7  11 33.59   12 27.5   2.653   3.558   150   15.1      7.4 281.4  22:29 (180, 43)

* C/2000 K2 ( LINEAR )
Not observable. It will appear at dawn in July, but will be fainter than 17 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  23 52.85    6  2.8   4.019   3.046    11   15.3     24.3  75.9   4:47 (270,-10)  
Apr.  7   0  3.74    6 43.4   4.047   3.090    14   15.4     23.6  76.0   4:53 (266, -6)

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )
It is observable as 15.5 mag until 2001 autumn. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  15 56.10   10 31.7   6.811   7.475   128   15.4      6.3 271.4   3:23 (180, 44)  
Apr.  7  15 52.90   10 32.0   6.754   7.489   134   15.4      7.2 269.3   2:52 (180, 44)

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )
Although it will be lower after this for a while, it is observable until 2002 autumn at 15 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   3  1.59   53  5.7   5.655   5.182    57   15.4     11.0  71.0  19:20 (143,-19)  
Apr.  7   3  9.93   53 31.8   5.700   5.165    53   15.4     11.7  70.2  19:10 (142,-20)

* 110P/Hartley 3
It is fading gradually since some time before the perihelion passage. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   5  2.47   24 31.2   2.697   2.477    66   15.5     23.3  93.2  19:20 (139, 18)  
Apr.  7   5 14.60   24 21.2   2.777   2.478    62   15.6     24.1  93.6  19:10 (138, 17)

* 33P/Daniel
Outburst. Takaaki Oribe, Saji Observatory, observed it at 15.9 mag on Mar. 21. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  11 36.34   36 23.0   2.180   2.990   137   16.2     10.1 245.8  22:59 (180, 19)  
Apr.  7  11 31.49   35 47.8   2.256   3.021   132   16.4      9.5 232.2  22:27 (180, 19)

* P/1999 WJ7 ( Korlevic )
It bursted out in mid February and reached to 15 mag, but now it is fading rapidly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   9 51.59   10  4.6   3.016   3.800   136   16.5      3.5 292.9  21:15 (180, 45)  
Apr.  7   9 50.46   10 12.3   3.108   3.818   129   16.6      1.7 298.1  20:47 (180, 45)

* C/2001 C1 ( LINEAR )
It keeps around 17 mag until 2002 autumn because it is far away. However, it goes to the southern sky. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  14 23.88  -13 60.0   4.870   5.772   152   16.6     10.2 251.1   1:51 (180, 69)  
Apr.  7  14 19.03  -14 22.5   4.797   5.747   159   16.5     11.0 253.3   1:19 (180, 69)

* C/2000 K1 ( LINEAR )
Because it is far away, it keeps brighter than 17 mag until June. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  16 25.44   30 37.9   6.561   7.051   115   16.6     12.5 329.5   3:52 (180, 24)  
Apr.  7  16 21.70   31 51.8   6.532   7.072   119   16.6     12.7 324.7   3:21 (180, 23)

* 95P/(2060) Chiron
Appearing at dawn. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  17 55.29  -17 40.0  10.376  10.619   101   16.8      1.0  47.4   4:47 (206, 71)  
Apr.  7  17 55.48  -17 35.3  10.276  10.631   108   16.8      0.7   6.1   4:53 (181, 73)

* C/1999 N4 ( LINEAR )
It is still bright. Akimasa Nakamura, Kuma, Japan, observed it at 16.9 mag on Mar. 21. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  15 25.05    4 27.9   5.181   5.955   137   16.9     15.5 291.0   2:52 (180, 51)  
Apr.  7  15 18.01    5  6.1   5.132   5.974   144   16.9     16.5 289.1   2:18 (180, 50)

* P/2000 WT168
It will fade out after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   8 19.46  -10 14.6   1.083   1.763   115   16.9     16.0  88.5  19:44 (180, 65)  
Apr.  7   8 27.86  -10 11.7   1.131   1.767   111   17.0     19.3  88.9  19:25 (180, 65)

* C/2000 Y2
Fading. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   9 18.05    7  0.0   2.032   2.770   128   17.0      8.2  53.0  20:42 (180, 48)  
Apr.  7   9 21.64    7 31.6   2.100   2.774   122   17.0      9.6  64.8  20:18 (180, 47)

* C/1999 H3 ( LINEAR )
Recently it was 1 mag brighter than this ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   9 40.15    9 23.0   5.451   6.183   133   17.1      9.9 268.1  21:04 (180, 46)  
Apr.  7   9 35.81    9 19.7   5.589   6.228   125   17.2      8.5 266.0  20:32 (180, 46)

* 70P/Kojima
Recently it was 1 mag brighter than this ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  12 59.80    4 50.9   1.535   2.523   169   17.2     12.6 295.2   0:27 (180, 50)  
Apr.  7  12 54.51    5 25.1   1.567   2.554   167   17.3     11.9 291.5  23:50 (180, 50)

* C/2001 A1 ( LINEAR )
It will fade out rapidly after that. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   9 42.68   28 28.6   2.502   3.201   126   17.2     19.3 212.9  21:06 (180, 27)  
Apr.  7   9 37.96   26 36.2   2.626   3.245   120   17.3     17.5 205.3  20:34 (180, 29)

* 65P/Gunn
Although it is around the aphelion now, it is observable as 17 mag in good condition until March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31   7 35.96   30 58.7   3.980   4.272   100   17.4      3.1 127.6  19:20 (175, 24)  
Apr.  7   7 37.71   30 44.6   4.073   4.259    93   17.4      4.5 118.0  19:10 (172, 24)

* (10199) Chariklo
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)  
Mar. 31  10  4.40   -4 48.6  12.417  13.216   141   17.5      2.6 296.9  21:28 (180, 60)  
Apr.  7  10  3.40   -4 40.4  12.485  13.214   135   17.5      2.2 300.8  21:00 (180, 60)

* P/2001 CV8 ( LINEAR )
It will be fainter than 18 mag in May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 31  10 23.35   13 18.3   1.310   2.188   142   17.5      6.4 204.3  21:47 (180, 42)  
Apr.  7  10 22.81   12 35.0   1.372   2.202   135   17.6      6.5 176.8  21:19 (180, 42)

---------------------------------------------------------------------

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