Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2002 Jan. 26: North)

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Updated on February 1, 2002
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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/2000 WM1 ( LINEAR )


Although it had been 6 mag for 2 months since late November, it suddenly bursted out in late January and reached to 2.5 mag. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is not obesrvable until late February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  20  3.25  -49 51.5   1.058   0.561    31    6.4     50.5 317.2   5:35 (314,-27)  
Feb.  2  19 43.76  -44 53.9   1.125   0.604    32    3.3     51.5 334.3   5:31 (313,-18)  

* 96P/Machholz 1


It was in the field of SOHO LASCO from Jan. 7 to 10. It brightened rapidly and reached to -1 mag on Jan. 8. Now it is appearing at dawn, but extremely low. KenIchi Kadota succeeded to observe it on Jan. 13 at 5.5 mag, but the comet faded to 9.7 mag on Jan. 21. It will fade out rapidly while locating low.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  19 12.73   -9 22.2   1.415   0.617    21   11.2     19.1  93.5   5:35 (284,  3)  
Feb.  2  19 21.74   -9 34.9   1.556   0.788    25   12.9     18.8  96.6   5:31 (286,  6)  

* C/2001 W2 ( BATTeRS )


It bursted out and reached to 11 mag around Dec. 8. Then it faded a bit, but kept 11 mag until mid December. It was very faint in late December by Yusuke Ezaki's observations. It is already unobservable. It will appear at dawn in late February in the Southern Hemisphere, but northern people can never see it again.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  20  4.09  -20 55.1   2.149   1.178     7   12.4     32.5 146.3   5:35 (286,-13)  
Feb.  2  20 13.15  -24  1.6   2.169   1.232    13   12.6     31.8 145.9   5:31 (291,-12)  

* C/2000 SV74 ( LINEAR )


It will be observable at 13 mag until 2002 September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  23  6.12   54 26.9   3.684   3.649    80   12.9      4.9  61.7  18:49 (135, 44)  
Feb.  2  23 10.02   54 48.1   3.731   3.634    76   12.9      6.5  54.7  18:55 (136, 40)  

* P/2001 MD7 ( LINEAR )


It has already passed the perihelion, but keeps as bright as 12 mag since November. It locates in the evening sky until 2002 April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   1 31.90   -4 44.1   1.356   1.441    74   12.9     55.4  61.5  18:49 ( 35, 44)  
Feb.  2   1 54.29   -1 42.8   1.426   1.484    73   13.2     53.4  61.8  18:55 ( 41, 45)  

* 19P/Borrelly


Fading now. But it was brighter than the ephemeris recently, 11.5 mag in late December and 12.5 mag in mid January. It is observable in good condition until to fade out.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  12 58.79   46 29.0   1.309   1.989   119   13.2     16.0   5.3   4:39 (180, 79)  
Feb.  2  12 58.37   48 17.5   1.328   2.039   122   13.4     15.2 349.9   4:11 (180, 77)  

* C/2001 X1 ( LINEAR )


It has a long folded tail. Although it keeps 13.5 mag until mid February, it locates very low in the Northern Hemisphere.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   9 18.64  -44  3.4   1.034   1.715   116   13.4    106.0 248.6   1:02 (  0, 11)  
Feb.  2   8 11.48  -46 50.6   1.062   1.730   115   13.5     99.4 263.3  23:15 (  0,  8)  

* 2001 TX16


Asteroid with a cometary orbit of 6.8 year period. Now it is at the peak.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   9 36.93   36 47.2   0.483   1.442   157   13.8     11.1  44.5   1:17 (180, 88)  
Feb.  2   9 40.80   37 30.9   0.488   1.449   157   13.8      7.1  51.0   0:54 (180, 88)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


Now observable. it will appear again at dawn in 2001 April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  20  3.52  -22 39.2   6.840   5.866     7   13.9     12.3  75.8   5:35 (288,-14)  
Feb.  2  20  9.50  -22 17.8   6.819   5.864    13   13.9     12.2  75.4   5:31 (290,-11)  

* 15P/Finlay


Not yet observed in this return. It keeps brighter than 16 mag until April. But the condition is worst. It always locates very low in the evening sky.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  22  7.10  -13 17.6   1.878   1.049    23   14.2     64.8  68.1  18:49 ( 71,  4)  
Feb.  2  22 35.97  -10 19.8   1.859   1.037    23   14.1     66.4  66.6  18:55 ( 74,  5)  

* P/2001 Q6 ( NEAT )


Because it is fading now, a few observations are reported. It was 13.0 mag in early January. It keeps observable for a while in the Northern Hemisphere.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  18 12.03   66  9.2   1.434   1.725    88   14.7     16.5 342.3   5:35 (209, 42)  
Feb.  2  18  4.35   68  8.3   1.463   1.776    90   15.1     19.8 336.8   5:31 (206, 45)  

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )


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)  
Jan. 26  11 28.84   77  6.7   4.428   4.965   117   14.7      5.1 313.8   3:09 (180, 48)  
Feb.  2  11 19.81   77 27.2   4.446   4.972   117   14.7      5.3 295.8   2:33 (180, 48)  

* P/2001 TU80 ( LINEAR-NEAT )


It bursted out in early January. Now it is as bright as 15 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   8 27.70   22 47.0   0.990   1.973   175   14.9     11.2 312.8   0:09 (  0, 78)  
Feb.  2   8 23.72   23 37.1   1.010   1.986   168   15.0      9.9 312.2  23:33 (  0, 79)  

* C/1999 Y1 ( LINEAR )


Fading rapidly, as expected. Northern people can never see it again.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  21 36.69  -49 57.5   5.036   4.251    33   15.2      6.1  92.3  18:49 ( 44,-22)  
Feb.  2  21 41.19  -50  1.4   5.076   4.295    34   15.3      6.4  97.9  18:55 ( 46,-27)  

* 65P/Gunn


It will be 15 mag in next spring at opposition.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  11 49.60   15 33.5   2.773   3.519   133   15.6      4.9 334.7   3:30 (  0, 71)  
Feb.  2  11 48.11   16  6.5   2.684   3.499   140   15.5      6.4 320.9   3:01 (  0, 71)  

* 116P/Wild 4


It will be 10.5 mag in 2003 spring.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   5 34.48   28  0.6   2.349   3.153   138   15.8      6.9 260.7  21:11 (  0, 83)  
Feb.  2   5 31.48   27 52.5   2.395   3.127   130   15.8      4.6 255.3  20:41 (  0, 83)  

* C/2001 K5 ( LINEAR )


Appearing at dawn. It will be 15 mag in spring and summer.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  16 48.85   -6 45.3   6.029   5.534    55   15.8     11.0  54.6   5:35 (307, 32)  
Feb.  2  16 52.91   -5 58.7   5.915   5.516    61   15.8     10.8  50.1   5:31 (311, 35)  

* 125P/Spacewatch


Not yet observed in this return. Appearing at dawn. It will be 15.8 mag in the morning low sky in February, then it will fade out while getting higher.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  17 37.91  -16  9.8   2.117   1.529    41   17.3     46.7  90.9   5:35 (304, 17)  
Feb.  2  18  0.48  -16  8.9   2.089   1.529    43   15.8     46.2  89.0   5:31 (305, 17)  

* C/2001 HT50 ( LINEAR-NEAT )


It will be 11 mag in 2003 February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  11 34.06  -13 29.1   5.087   5.708   124   16.0     11.5 275.7   3:14 (  0, 41)  
Feb.  2  11 28.18  -13 18.2   4.941   5.657   132   15.9     13.2 278.6   2:41 (  0, 42)  

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )


Appearing at dawn. It keeps the same brightness until 2002 September when it becomes low in the evening sky.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  15 42.99  -10 44.0   8.542   8.259    70   16.3      3.3 144.2   5:35 (326, 38)  
Feb.  2  15 43.72  -11  2.0   8.449   8.281    76   16.3      2.7 155.1   5:31 (333, 40)  

* C/1999 T2 ( LINEAR )


Appearing at dawn. It keeps the same brightness until 2002 April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  13 29.41  -11 60.0   4.742   5.019   100   16.4      8.2 242.1   5:09 (  0, 43)  
Feb.  2  13 25.54  -12 25.3   4.667   5.067   108   16.4      9.5 249.3   4:38 (  0, 43)  

* C/2000 OF8 ( Spacewatch )


Fading. It will be fainter than 18 mag in April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  10 46.07  -18 58.4   2.205   2.937   130   16.4     39.6 291.5   2:27 (  0, 36)  
Feb.  2  10 27.33  -17  4.6   2.165   2.988   139   16.4     43.1 294.4   1:41 (  0, 38)  

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh


Appearing at dawn. It reaches to 16 mag in 2002 spring.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  15 35.30  -15 26.8   3.977   3.767    70   16.5     12.6 103.4   5:35 (331, 34)  
Feb.  2  15 40.95  -15 45.8   3.884   3.774    76   16.5     11.4 102.8   5:31 (336, 36)  

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )


Fading slowly. It keeps brighter than 17 mag until mid March.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   6 36.88  -15 34.8   5.281   6.021   135   16.5     12.7 313.9  22:13 (  0, 39)  
Feb.  2   6 32.72  -14 31.7   5.369   6.068   131   16.6     12.3 318.7  21:42 (  0, 41)  

* C/2001 RX14 ( LINEAR )


It will be 10.5 mag in 2003 February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   1 13.25   22 20.7   4.473   4.408    79   16.7      6.0  67.5  18:49 ( 72, 61)  
Feb.  2   1 16.38   22 38.9   4.520   4.349    73   16.7      7.4  67.1  18:55 ( 79, 55)  

* 77P/Longmore


It reaches only to 16 mag in 2002 spring.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  11 40.37   30 27.6   1.923   2.720   136   16.8      5.6 309.6   3:21 (  0, 85)  
Feb.  2  11 37.27   30 52.3   1.852   2.698   142   16.7      7.9 295.8   2:50 (  0, 86)  

* 16P/Brooks 2


It has been 16 mag since July. Then it must have fade out, but on the contraty it brightened and reached to 15 mag in November. Now it is fading.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   4 41.05   14 21.0   1.734   2.431   124   16.9      6.1  50.2  20:18 (  0, 69)  
Feb.  2   4 43.92   14 49.0   1.842   2.466   118   17.2      8.2  60.3  19:54 (  0, 70)  

* P/2001 R1 ( LONEOS )


Akimasa Nakamura reported that it is as faint as 17 mag. It will be observable at 17 mag until March.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   0 17.06    2 40.3   1.602   1.385    59   16.9     47.4  61.0  18:49 ( 61, 39)  
Feb.  2   0 36.81    5 22.3   1.619   1.372    57   16.9     48.9  61.5  18:55 ( 67, 38)  

* C/2001 B2 ( NEAT )


It will keep 17 mag until 2002 March.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  10 16.19    7 57.6   5.607   6.497   152   16.9     14.5 300.4   1:57 (  0, 63)  
Feb.  2  10 10.16    8 49.7   5.584   6.526   161   17.0     15.1 300.1   1:23 (  0, 64)  

* 31P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 2


It will be observable at 17 mag in January and February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   9 20.73   17 45.9   2.438   3.409   168   17.1      9.9 295.0   1:01 (  0, 73)  
Feb.  2   9 16.18   18 15.2   2.425   3.409   176   17.1     10.4 293.7   0:29 (  0, 73)  

* 44P/Reinmuth 2


It is a bit brighter than the ephemeris after November. It will be observable for some more time.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   4 42.84   26 37.1   2.454   3.144   126   17.1      2.8 191.1  20:20 (  0, 82)  
Feb.  2   4 43.16   26 19.2   2.570   3.176   119   17.3      2.9 143.3  19:53 (  0, 81)  

* C/2002 A3 ( LINEAR )


New comet. It keeps 17.5 mag until spring when it becomes low in the evening sky.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   6 37.32  -11 55.2   4.362   5.137   138   17.3     10.0 328.5  22:14 (  0, 43)  
Feb.  2   6 35.05  -10 53.0   4.393   5.130   134   17.3     10.1 335.0  21:44 (  0, 44)  

* 22P/Kopff


The condition in this return is bad. We can observe it only until August before perihelion passage when it becomes to 13 mag in the evening sky.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26  12 28.59    1 44.4   2.514   3.123   119   17.7      2.6  60.3   4:08 (  0, 57)  
Feb.  2  12 29.16    1 56.9   2.391   3.085   126   17.5      2.3   3.3   3:42 (  0, 57)  

* C/2002 A2 ( LINEAR )


New comet with 80 year period. C/2002 A1 and C/2002 A2 are pair, splitted from one comet. They show the same motion within 1 degree after this. C/2002 A1 is fainter than 18 mag. C/2002 A2 will be fainter than 18 mag in March.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   6 56.15   30 21.9   3.807   4.720   155   17.6      5.5 290.1  22:33 (  0, 85)  
Feb.  2   6 53.61   30 33.8   3.860   4.723   147   17.7      4.5 289.8  22:03 (  0, 86)  

* C/2001 W1 ( LINEAR )


Fading. It will be fainter than 18 mag in February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   3 30.94   40 27.9   1.866   2.426   112   17.7     30.7 278.4  19:07 (180, 84)  
Feb.  2   3 14.50   40 53.3   2.014   2.438   103   17.9     23.4 277.7  18:55 (136, 81)  

* (3200) Phaethon


It will pass the perihelion in 2002 April. The condition in this return is bad. It will be getting lower after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 26   1 43.27   19  5.0   1.348   1.599    85   17.8     10.4 169.0  18:49 ( 56, 65)  
Feb.  2   1 45.11   18  0.8   1.386   1.524    77   17.8      9.8 146.6  18:55 ( 65, 58)  

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