Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2002 Mar. 9: North)

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 Updated on March 11, 2002
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Northern Hemisphere.

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* C/2002 C1 ( Ikeya-Zhang )
The return of comet in 1661 with 340 year period. Long tail over 2 degree is visible. It will reach to 3 mag in late March. It locates in the evening sky until March, then it locates in the morning sky after April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9   1 16.57    7 44.2   1.015   0.560    32    4.3     67.8  21.3  19:25 ( 91, 14)  
Mar. 16   1 25.41   15 41.6   0.876   0.512    30    3.6     73.8   8.4  19:31 (101, 13)

* C/2000 WM1 ( LINEAR )
It suddenly bursted out in late January and reached to 2.5 mag. Then it is fading rapidly, and now it is 7.5 mag. But it still has a long tail about 30 arcmin. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9  19 22.66  -16 15.7   1.237   1.110    58    7.8     48.4 356.5   4:55 (308, 20)  
Mar. 16  19 20.85  -10 38.0   1.237   1.224    65    8.5     48.4 354.3   4:46 (308, 27)

* C/2001 OG108 ( LONEOS )
Although it had been regarded as an asteroid, it was revealed as a comet. It brightened rapidly in February. It will reach to 8 mag in April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9  21 36.10   46  0.2   1.140   0.999    55    9.8     41.4   3.7   4:55 (232, 28)  
Mar. 16  21 38.33   51 27.1   1.009   0.994    59    9.5     52.9   4.0   4:46 (227, 33)

* 6P/d'Arrest
The condition in this return is bad. It is not observable until June in the Southern Hemisphere, until August in the Northern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9  23  9.75  -10 21.5   2.390   1.406     5   12.9     50.1  76.6   4:55 (269,-20)  
Mar. 16  23 32.57   -8 58.4   2.410   1.430     7   12.8     49.2  75.9   4:46 (267,-20)

* C/2000 SV74 ( LINEAR )
It will be observable at 13 mag until September. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9  23 40.09   59  0.5   3.902   3.577    63   12.9     13.5  38.4  19:25 (147, 23)  
Mar. 16  23 48.01   60 18.5   3.922   3.569    62   12.9     14.7  36.5  19:31 (150, 21)

* C/2001 W2 ( BATTeRS )
It appears at dawn in the Southern Hemisphere. But no observations have been reported since late December. So the current brightness is quite uncertain. 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.  9  21  2.65  -39 55.7   2.082   1.572    46   13.6     35.1 148.9   4:55 (311,-12)  
Mar. 16  21 14.10  -43 32.3   2.041   1.648    53   13.7     36.9 150.2   4:46 (314,-13)

* 15P/Finlay
It bursted out in early February and reached to 13.5 mag. 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)  
Mar.  9   0 58.66    6 11.7   1.896   1.117    27   13.6     65.3  65.2  19:25 ( 91,  9)  
Mar. 16   1 26.32    9 17.0   1.933   1.156    28   13.9     63.4  66.2  19:31 ( 95, 10)

* 19P/Borrelly
Fading now. But it was brighter than the ephemeris recently, 13 mag in mid February. 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)  
Mar.  9  12 19.37   53 23.0   1.527   2.292   129   13.7     14.4 271.7   1:15 (180, 72)  
Mar. 16  12  8.19   53 12.8   1.590   2.342   128   14.0     14.4 257.1   0:36 (180, 72)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
Appearing at dawn. It will be observable in April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9  20 37.27  -20 28.4   6.557   5.855    41   13.8     10.6  73.2   4:55 (299,  4)  
Mar. 16  20 42.19  -20  7.2   6.477   5.853    47   13.8     10.1  72.7   4:46 (300,  7)

* P/2001 MD7 ( LINEAR )
Fading rapidly after February. It will be fainter than 16 mag in May when it becomes low. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9   3 35.69   10 27.7   1.876   1.733    66   14.5     42.8  67.8  19:25 ( 70, 43)  
Mar. 16   3 54.24   12 14.3   1.982   1.787    64   14.7     40.9  69.5  19:31 ( 75, 41)

* 2001 TX16
Asteroid with a cometary orbit of 6.8 year period. Fading now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9   9 54.74   34 39.2   0.620   1.540   144   14.7     14.7 150.6  22:46 (  0, 90)  
Mar. 16   9 59.31   33  2.4   0.667   1.569   140   14.9     17.3 148.2  22:23 (  0, 88)

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )
It is observable until autumn at 15 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9  10 18.96   76 24.7   4.627   5.021   107   14.8      7.9 221.0  23:09 (180, 49)  
Mar. 16  10  9.79   75 37.8   4.681   5.032   105   14.9      8.5 210.3  22:33 (180, 49)

* 65P/Gunn
It will be observable at 15 mag until August 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)  
Mar.  9  11 28.22   19 13.5   2.425   3.394   165   15.1     11.7 293.1   0:23 (  0, 74)  
Mar. 16  11 22.84   19 42.8   2.414   3.373   161   15.0     11.5 289.0  23:46 (  0, 75)

* C/2001 N2 ( LINEAR )
Getting higher in the morning sky. It will be 13 mag in June and July. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9  20 34.31   14 37.6   3.791   3.162    44   15.4      3.9  33.3   4:55 (270, 26)  
Mar. 16  20 35.06   15  2.7   3.681   3.125    49   15.3      4.0  13.4   4:46 (272, 30)

* 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)  
Mar.  9  10 49.59  -10 49.4   4.445   5.403   163   15.4     19.2 289.4  23:40 (  0, 44)  
Mar. 16  10 40.99  -10  2.4   4.403   5.352   160   15.4     19.4 291.2  23:04 (  0, 45)

* C/2001 K5 ( LINEAR )
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)  
Mar.  9  17  7.13   -1  2.5   5.301   5.432    92   15.5     10.6  19.2   4:55 (333, 51)  
Mar. 16  17  8.47    0  9.2   5.179   5.416    98   15.4     10.8  12.0   4:46 (339, 53)

* 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)  
Mar.  9   5 35.75   27 16.8   2.719   2.996    96   15.6      7.6  95.9  19:25 ( 62, 76)  
Mar. 16   5 40.26   27 11.5   2.792   2.970    90   15.5      9.6  94.3  19:31 ( 73, 70)

* P/2001 TU80 ( LINEAR-NEAT )
It bursted out and reached to 15 mag in early January. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9   8 19.97   25 34.5   1.265   2.072   132   15.7      5.6  90.0  21:12 (  0, 81)  
Mar. 16   8 23.61   25 30.3   1.341   2.093   126   15.8      8.5  97.9  20:48 (  0, 80)

* 7P/Pons-Winnecke
It was as faint as 17.5 mag in late February. It may reach only to 13.5 mag in May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9  17 19.74    3 10.1   1.126   1.494    89   16.2     46.6  96.0   4:55 (326, 53)  
Mar. 16  17 41.76    2 33.6   1.055   1.453    90   15.9     48.2  96.6   4:46 (325, 52)

* 125P/Spacewatch
Not yet observed in this return. It will fade out while getting higher. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9  19 46.70  -13 41.1   1.973   1.579    52   15.9     41.5  80.5   4:55 (302, 18)  
Mar. 16  20  5.98  -12 50.0   1.952   1.597    54   16.0     40.2  79.1   4:46 (301, 18)

* 77P/Longmore
Now it is at the peak. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9  11  3.06   31 20.6   1.669   2.594   153   16.1     15.7 257.4  23:53 (  0, 86)  
Mar. 16  10 54.86   30 48.9   1.671   2.575   148   16.0     15.7 249.1  23:18 (  0, 86)

* 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)  
Mar.  9  12 16.12    4 42.4   1.917   2.888   165   16.4     12.7 301.5   1:11 (  0, 60)  
Mar. 16  12 10.67    5 30.3   1.859   2.847   172   16.2     14.1 299.5   0:38 (  0, 60)

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh
It keeps brighter than 16 mag until June. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9  15 59.42  -16 41.2   3.402   3.813   106   16.3      3.7 101.0   4:54 (  0, 38)  
Mar. 16  16  0.75  -16 45.0   3.312   3.821   113   16.2      1.9 101.8   4:27 (  0, 38)

* 28P/Neujmin 1
It will reach to 13 mag at the end of this year. In the northern hemisphere, it keeps low in the south after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9  15 58.22  -34 45.1   3.095   3.460   103   16.5      8.6 138.4   4:52 (  0, 20)  
Mar. 16  16  1.03  -35 30.2   2.946   3.405   109   16.3      7.6 147.5   4:28 (  0, 20)

* 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)  
Mar.  9   1 41.01   25  8.8   4.678   4.052    46   16.4     13.4  65.4  19:25 (103, 27)  
Mar. 16   1 47.51   25 49.2   4.689   3.992    41   16.4     14.3  65.2  19:31 (107, 22)

* C/1999 T2 ( LINEAR )
It keeps the same brightness until April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9  12 55.19  -13 34.2   4.429   5.308   149   16.5     15.7 268.2   1:50 (  0, 41)  
Mar. 16  12 47.51  -13 35.6   4.423   5.357   157   16.5     16.3 270.3   1:15 (  0, 41)

* C/2001 B2 ( NEAT )
Fading very slowly. It was brighter than the ephemeris recently, reported around 16 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9   9 39.02   13 10.2   5.764   6.673   154   16.5     13.8 299.5  22:30 (  0, 68)  
Mar. 16   9 33.46   13 56.3   5.856   6.703   145   16.5     12.8 299.8  21:57 (  0, 69)

* C/2002 A3 ( LINEAR )
It will be getting fainter and lower after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9   6 32.03   -5  7.3   4.765   5.163   108   16.8     10.2  11.4  19:25 (  1, 50)  
Mar. 16   6 33.29   -3 58.1   4.851   5.159   102   16.9     10.3  19.0  19:31 ( 13, 50)

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )
Fading slowly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9   6 20.73   -8 59.3   5.974   6.304   105   17.0      9.4 348.7  19:25 (  5, 46)  
Mar. 16   6 20.15   -7 55.9   6.118   6.352    99   17.1      8.9 356.1  19:31 ( 17, 46)

* 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)  
Mar.  9   8 59.42   -4 11.1   2.393   3.253   144   17.0     36.4 307.1  21:50 (  0, 51)  
Mar. 16   8 46.93   -1 43.6   2.519   3.308   135   17.2     31.6 309.5  21:10 (  0, 53)

* 31P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 2
Already passed the peak and fading now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9   8 56.25   20  8.5   2.573   3.415   142   17.2      5.2 290.6  21:48 (  0, 75)  
Mar. 16   8 54.28   20 19.1   2.639   3.416   135   17.3      3.2 291.2  21:18 (  0, 75)

* C/2002 B2 ( LINEAR )
Moving northwards gradually. But it is at the peak now and 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.  9  10  3.76  -24 37.1   2.990   3.851   145   17.2     34.0 292.4  22:54 (  0, 30)  
Mar. 16   9 48.14  -22 59.8   3.009   3.848   142   17.2     33.1 296.2  22:11 (  0, 32)

* P/2001 Q6 ( NEAT )
Fading rapidly. It was so faint as 16.5 mag in late February. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9  15  6.67   77 41.8   1.619   2.056   101   17.2     32.3 275.6   4:03 (180, 47)  
Mar. 16  13 55.81   77 16.0   1.664   2.116   102   17.7     33.6 254.2   2:25 (180, 48)

* C/2002 C2 ( LINEAR )
New comet. It keeps 17 mag until 2002 November. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  9   2 48.56   42 11.5   3.526   3.269    67   17.3     20.0 146.7  19:25 (117, 46)  
Mar. 16   2 55.54   40 20.1   3.628   3.263    60   17.3     19.0 142.7  19:31 (116, 41)

* C/2002 B1 ( LINEAR )
New periodic comet with 30 year period. 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)  
Mar.  9   3 36.54   66 43.1   2.179   2.310    84   17.8     13.6  70.4  19:25 (155, 49)  
Mar. 16   3 53.30   67 15.3   2.222   2.298    81   17.8     16.0  72.7  19:31 (155, 48)

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