Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2001 May 12: North)

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 Updated on May 15, 2001
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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/2001 A2 ( LINEAR )
Although it faded to 8 mag in mid April, now it is brightening rapidly again. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is not observable until it appears at dawn as 3 mag in late June. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12   5 45.43  -20 36.7   0.699   0.816    53    5.1     28.6 212.5  20:31 ( 74,-13)  
May  19   5 35.19  -23 21.8   0.624   0.786    51    4.6     34.4 228.8  20:39 ( 77,-24)

* 24P/Schaumasse
It is 10.5 mag now but diffused. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12   7  4.58   31 18.5   1.510   1.211    53   10.6     58.9  92.3  20:31 (108, 31)  
May  19   7 36.81   30 45.2   1.520   1.224    53   10.9     59.7  96.3  20:39 (108, 30)

* 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova
It was bright at 10 mag in late April. 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)  
May  12   6 38.86   25 49.5   1.343   0.995    47   11.6     85.5  91.6  20:31 (106, 24)  
May  19   7 20.69   25  8.1   1.420   1.095    50   12.2     76.8  96.1  20:39 (104, 25)

* C/1999 T1 ( McNaught-Hartley )
It locates good position, however it is getting diffused and will not be obervable soon. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12  18 42.65   74 40.1   2.394   2.461    81   11.9     12.8 330.6   3:22 (180, 50)  
May  19  18 29.28   75 47.7   2.491   2.540    81   12.1     11.5 315.1   2:43 (180, 49)

* 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)  
May  12   0 50.52   -5  5.6   3.795   3.128    42   12.6     11.1 140.9   3:22 (273, -5)  
May  19   0 53.63   -6  9.7   3.707   3.139    49   12.6     11.6 147.3   3:14 (276, -2)

* 19P/Borrelly
In the Northern Hemisphere, it appears at dawn at 10 mag in late July, then reaches to 8 mag in autumn. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12   1 27.04  -15  1.2   2.555   1.936    42   13.7     37.7  66.7   3:22 (276,-18)  
May  19   1 43.91  -13 15.2   2.476   1.887    44   13.4     38.7  66.7   3:14 (275,-16)

* 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)  
May  12   3 59.06   20 23.6   2.508   1.526    10   13.6     45.7  80.4  20:31 (123, -9)  
May  19   4 21.85   21 11.1   2.491   1.500     9   13.4     46.6  82.4  20:39 (126,-11)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
Appearing at dawn. Now it is 15 mag. No outburst bright enough to observe visually has occured since 1999 July. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12  19 19.17  -28  3.5   5.328   5.948   123   13.4      1.5 252.8   3:22 (350, 26)  
May  19  19 18.11  -28  6.9   5.237   5.945   130   13.4      2.6 258.5   3:14 (356, 27)

* 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)  
May  12   1 29.56    1 43.9   2.464   1.677    30   13.5     33.8  68.5   3:22 (262, -9)  
May  19   1 43.85    3  6.9   2.495   1.743    33   13.8     31.8  69.1   3:14 (261, -7)

* C/1999 T2 ( LINEAR )
It is much brighter visually, around 12 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12  14 15.68   31 39.2   2.737   3.455   128   13.6     32.0 250.1  22:52 (  0, 87)  
May  19  14  0.06   30 14.7   2.816   3.487   124   13.7     30.2 244.5  22:09 (  0, 85)

* C/2000 CT54 ( LINEAR )
Although it reaches to 13.5 mag in summer, only southern people can observe it. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12  23  5.51  -70 17.3   2.871   3.178    98   13.8     16.2  96.0   3:22 (340,-25)  
May  19  23 26.91  -70 27.9   2.828   3.171   100   13.8     14.8  96.1   3:14 (340,-26)

* 51P/Harrington
It will appear at dawn in June at 14 mag, then will fade gradually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12   0 23.51   -1 51.0   2.099   1.589    46   14.6     45.3  71.4   3:22 (274,  3)  
May  19   0 43.56   -0 10.1   2.060   1.579    48   14.5     45.3  71.6   3:14 (273,  3)

* C/2000 OF8 ( Spacewatch )
In the Northern Hemisphere, it goes southern sky and will not be observable after May, then appears again at dawn in November at 16.5 mag and fades. In the Southern Hemisphere, it locates high. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12  18 44.03  -49 47.6   1.627   2.385   127   14.8     56.1 233.8   3:22 (359,  5)  
May  19  18  4.18  -53 27.7   1.511   2.353   136   14.6     66.8 243.8   2:20 (  0,  2)

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )
It hardly faded out since the perihelion passage in 2000 June, and still keeps 14 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12   5 59.00  -27 35.1   4.762   4.353    60   14.8     17.3  43.8  20:31 ( 66,-14)  
May  19   6  5.31  -26 12.1   4.856   4.394    57   14.9     16.6  47.2  20:39 ( 71,-19)

* 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)  
May  12   4 56.38  -73 23.5  13.367  13.457    92   14.9      4.0  71.5  20:31 ( 20,-37)  
May  19   5  2.68  -73 15.9  13.394  13.501    93   14.9      4.0  77.4  20:39 ( 20,-39)

* 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)  
May  12   2 11.60   17 48.8   3.429   2.469    15   15.0     28.7  65.0   3:22 (242, -7)  
May  19   2 24.36   19 11.9   3.424   2.486    18   15.1     28.3  65.6   3:14 (242, -5)

* 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)  
May  12  10 23.05   -5  6.0   5.238   5.627   107   15.1     10.7 324.6  20:31 ( 32, 45)  
May  19  10 20.51   -4  7.9   5.377   5.644   100   15.2      9.2 329.3  20:39 ( 44, 41)

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )
Although it is low right now, 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)  
May  12   3 59.77   56 14.6   5.834   5.089    39   15.4     14.4  68.6  20:31 (149, 15)  
May  19   4 11.27   56 51.5   5.841   5.075    37   15.4     14.8  68.6  20:39 (152, 13)

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )
It is observable as 15.5 mag until autumn. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12  15 32.46    9 55.0   6.657   7.562   151   15.4      9.7 256.8   0:14 (  0, 65)  
May  19  15 28.01    9 37.8   6.681   7.577   150   15.4      9.7 253.8  23:38 (  0, 65)

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh
It is observable in the evening sky until July. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12  11 25.67   11 59.8   3.013   3.570   115   15.4      3.1 160.9  20:31 ( 16, 66)  
May  19  11 26.56   11 36.9   3.106   3.573   109   15.5      4.5 143.0  20:39 ( 35, 63)

* 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)  
May  12  13 51.49  -16  2.3   4.670   5.629   159   16.4     11.4 256.5  22:29 (  0, 39)  
May  19  13 46.24  -16 21.0   4.693   5.606   152   16.3     10.8 255.6  21:56 (  0, 39)

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )
Appearing at dawn. It will fade out gradually after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12  21 58.45   -7 14.4   5.831   5.781    82   16.4      5.7   3.3   3:22 (302, 27)  
May  19  21 58.34   -6 35.7   5.761   5.826    88   16.4      5.5 351.6   3:14 (306, 31)

* 95P/(2060) Chiron
Appearing at dawn. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12  17 51.91  -17 13.4   9.874  10.696   142   16.7      2.9 280.9   2:33 (  0, 38)  
May  19  17 50.42  -17  9.8   9.823  10.709   149   16.7      3.3 278.7   2:04 (  0, 38)

* 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)  
May  12  14 38.35    7 36.8   5.161   6.076   152   16.9     17.1 279.5  23:16 (  0, 63)  
May  19  14 30.56    7 53.9   5.224   6.098   147   17.0     16.3 277.3  22:40 (  0, 63)

* C/2000 K1 ( LINEAR )
Fading gradually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12  15 55.54   36 50.9   6.565   7.182   124   17.0     12.1 300.9   0:37 (180, 88)  
May  19  15 49.43   37 30.4   6.608   7.205   122   17.1     11.6 296.1   0:04 (180, 88)

* 86P/Wild 3
It is brightest at 17 mag until late June, but the altitude is not too high. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  12  16 22.79  -15 27.0   1.338   2.324   163   17.1     12.3 240.1   1:05 (  0, 40)  
May  19  16 17.23  -16 11.5   1.315   2.320   171   17.1     13.8 241.6   0:32 (  0, 39)

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