Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2002 July 20: North)

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Updated on July 27, 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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* 153P/2002 C1 ( Ikeya-Zhang )


The fading pace is very slow and the comet is still 9 mag. However, now it is very diffused.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  15 26.75   -5 21.5   1.709   2.304   112    9.8     17.3 156.7  20:53 ( 28, 45)  
July 27  15 30.36   -7  5.7   1.886   2.401   107   10.2     16.4 148.8  20:46 ( 33, 42)  

* C/2000 SV74 ( LINEAR )


It is as faint as 15 mag by CCD. It is also fainter than 13 mag visually these days.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  11 25.43   75 26.0   4.002   3.618    60   13.0     25.4 146.7  20:53 (162, 36)  
July 27  11 48.18   72 55.4   4.020   3.631    60   13.0     25.1 149.0  20:46 (159, 36)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


Although it kept as bright as 12 mag in July, it was extremely diffused and hard to see. The nuclues is already faint as 16 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  20 57.71  -17 55.6   4.831   5.820   165   13.2      6.6 260.8   1:08 (  0, 37)  
July 27  20 54.40  -18  3.2   4.809   5.818   172   13.1      7.0 260.9   0:38 (  0, 37)  

* 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko


It was observed at 15.0 mag on June 18, as bright as expected. It will reach to 13.5 mag between July and October.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20   4 38.81   20 56.3   1.827   1.339    46   13.6     54.5  77.5   3:18 (257, 18)  
July 27   5  5.71   22 10.6   1.797   1.320    46   13.5     54.8  79.8   3:26 (256, 20)  

* C/2001 K5 ( LINEAR )


Strongly condensed.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  16 19.42   18 52.1   4.727   5.219   113   13.6      4.6 292.7  20:53 ( 22, 73)  
July 27  16 17.62   19  1.9   4.802   5.212   108   13.6      3.2 288.9  20:46 ( 37, 71)  

* C/2002 F1 ( Utsunomiya )


Although it did not fade at all in May and kept 8 mag until late May, only two observations by one person in mid June were reported after June. So the current brightness is quite uncertain. It became very diffused and faded out rapidly in mid June, fainter than 10.5 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20   7 40.17  -22 58.5   2.431   1.839    43   13.7     33.6 135.7   3:18 (270,-43)  
July 27   7 51.86  -25 44.6   2.515   1.947    45   14.1     32.3 136.7   3:26 (276,-40)  

* 22P/Kopff


It will be too low in August. It will appear at dawn in next June at 15.5 mag and will be fading.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  12 23.19    2 14.8   2.274   2.104    67   13.9     23.4 116.5  20:53 ( 77, 21)  
July 27  12 33.37    0 59.5   2.305   2.064    63   13.7     25.2 116.0  20:46 ( 78, 18)  

* C/2001 N2 ( LINEAR )


Now it is at the peak.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  16 30.18   11  9.0   2.029   2.687   120   13.8     46.0 240.0  20:53 ( 10, 66)  
July 27  16 12.77    8 28.3   2.126   2.679   112   13.8     40.6 236.0  20:46 ( 28, 61)  

* 46P/Wirtanen


It is getting brighter rapidly. But it is much fainter than expected. It may be 12.5 mag at best.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20   4 55.47   16 53.4   1.692   1.173    42   14.5     63.2  77.6   3:18 (258, 12)  
July 27   5 26.14   18 19.4   1.664   1.137    42   13.8     64.4  79.9   3:26 (257, 14)  

* 28P/Neujmin 1


Stellar object. 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)  
July 20  14 51.82  -36 14.6   1.817   2.402   112   14.2      5.8  36.2  20:53 ( 23, 14)  
July 27  14 54.68  -35 44.1   1.838   2.347   107   14.1      7.6  58.2  20:46 ( 27, 13)  

* 116P/Wild 4


After conjunction, it will appear at dawn at 13 mag in October.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20   8 49.19   20 15.9   3.502   2.519    12   14.3     27.5 106.4  20:53 (123,-10)  
July 27   9  2.36   19 19.3   3.494   2.496     8   14.1     28.0 107.3  20:46 (124,-12)  

* C/2001 RX14 ( LINEAR )


Getting brighter as expected. It will be observable at 10 mag in the good condition for a long time from winter to next spring.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20   5  0.84   42 40.3   3.615   2.950    42   14.5     25.4  71.1   3:18 (234, 24)  
July 27   5 16.44   43 36.4   3.507   2.896    46   14.3     25.9  72.1   3:26 (234, 28)  

* 57P/du Toit-Neujmin-Delporte


It reaches to 15 mag at best in July and August. However, it bursted out and became 6 mag brighter than this ephemeris in the previous return in 1996. Total 20 nuclei have been discovered.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  20  2.73  -13 50.2   0.720   1.733   172   14.8      4.4 246.2   0:13 (  0, 41)  
July 27  20  0.80  -14  5.7   0.718   1.730   172   14.7      4.6 235.7  23:40 (  0, 41)  

* 7P/Pons-Winnecke


The ephemeris says it is fading now. But it seems to be bright still now actually, about 13 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20   0 28.85  -35 18.4   0.687   1.479   119   15.1     27.0 147.4   3:18 (343, 17)  
July 27   0 35.54  -37 53.3   0.710   1.523   122   15.4     23.0 158.5   3:26 (349, 16)  

* C/2001 HT50 ( LINEAR-NEAT )


After conjunction, it will appear at dawn at 13.5 mag in October.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20   9 42.28   -0  9.2   5.263   4.448    33   15.2      3.2  91.6  20:53 ( 99,-13)  
July 27   9 43.90   -0 11.4   5.274   4.399    27   15.2      3.7  98.2  20:46 (102,-17)  

* 65P/Gunn


It will be too low in the evening sky in August.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  11 46.40    9 56.1   3.435   2.991    56   15.2     18.8 121.3  20:53 ( 89, 18)  
July 27  11 54.22    8 46.7   3.490   2.970    51   15.2     19.7 120.6  20:46 ( 90, 15)  

* C/2000 WM1 ( LINEAR )


It became so faint now. It seems to be fainter than 18 mag in September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  16  8.95   32 50.5   2.621   3.028   103   15.5     10.5 212.0  20:53 ( 76, 82)  
July 27  16  6.60   31 46.9   2.776   3.116    99   15.8      9.7 198.1  20:46 ( 79, 77)  

* C/2002 E2 ( Snyder-Murakami )


Fading rapidly.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  13  4.44   76 39.4   2.685   2.469    66   15.5     10.1 191.5  20:53 (165, 42)  
July 27  13  2.78   75 33.7   2.770   2.538    66   15.8      8.9 178.5  20:46 (163, 41)  

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )


It is observable until autumn at 15 mag. It was reported as 14 mag visually, but as 16 mag by CCD, so there is a large difference.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  11 11.33   51 22.1   5.942   5.324    48   15.9     15.1 139.0  20:53 (134, 30)  
July 27  11 18.75   50  3.0   5.998   5.345    46   15.9     15.1 137.4  20:46 (133, 28)  

* 92P/Sanguin


It will be 15.5 mag in September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  21 41.34   14 16.0   1.060   1.928   136   16.4      4.6  81.5   1:52 (  0, 69)  
July 27  21 43.14   14  9.9   1.003   1.905   141   16.2      3.8 130.7   1:26 (  0, 69)  

* P/1986 A1 ( Shoemaker 3 )


First return of a new periodic comet with a period of 17 years. It will reach to 12 mag in 2003 January and be observable in good condition.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20   4 23.75   17 33.7   2.904   2.384    50   16.5     29.5  79.6   3:18 (261, 19)  
July 27   4 38.10   18  8.8   2.800   2.340    53   16.3     29.9  80.8   3:26 (264, 23)  

* C/2002 K4 ( NEAT )


It keeps 17 mag until September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  20 14.60   21  3.2   1.926   2.765   137   16.5     41.9 297.7   0:26 (  0, 76)  
July 27  19 55.81   23  6.9   1.937   2.768   137   16.6     40.4 293.2  23:33 (  0, 78)  

* C/2000 CT54 ( LINEAR )


No observations have been reported since 2002 January. It will be brighter than 17 mag until September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20   1 36.35   -2 47.9   4.623   4.831    95   16.7      3.1  12.6   3:18 (310, 39)  
July 27   1 36.35   -2 28.0   4.561   4.877   102   16.7      2.7 345.3   3:26 (319, 44)  

* C/2002 H2 ( LINEAR )


Fading rapidly. Although the position is still good, it will be too faint to observe soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  12 40.86   59 48.2   2.523   2.246    62   16.8     14.9 202.4  20:53 (142, 44)  
July 27  12 36.99   58 17.1   2.646   2.306    59   17.2     12.6 193.7  20:46 (140, 41)  

* 95P/(2060) Chiron


It keeps 17 mag locating at the same altitude until October in the Northerm Hemisphere.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  18 19.90  -16 23.1  10.594  11.534   156   17.1      3.4 265.0  22:27 (  0, 39)  
July 27  18 18.33  -16 25.4  10.658  11.548   149   17.1      3.1 263.5  21:58 (  0, 39)  

* C/2002 J5 ( LINEAR )


It is a far object. It will be 17 mag all through in 2003 and 2004.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  19 26.66   14 25.7   5.630   6.480   144   17.4     14.1 279.0  23:33 (  0, 69)  
July 27  19 20.00   14 38.4   5.622   6.458   142   17.4     13.8 276.0  22:59 (  0, 70)  

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )


It keeps brightness around 17.5 mag still now.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 20  21 29.74   15 59.2   7.839   8.607   136   17.5      6.8 284.5   1:40 (  0, 71)  
July 27  21 26.45   16  9.4   7.835   8.652   141   17.5      7.0 279.7   1:09 (  0, 71)  

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