Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2002 Oct. 12: North)

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 Updated on October 22, 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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* 46P/Wirtanen
It bursted out on Sept. 24 and reached to 8.5 mag. It is now fading rapidly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  10 49.49   13 33.1   1.803   1.224    40   11.0     49.1 105.1   4:39 (269, 22)  
Oct. 19  11 11.50   12  3.1   1.829   1.271    41   12.2     46.5 105.9   4:44 (272, 24)

* 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)  
Oct. 12   8 47.39   49 43.0   2.326   2.367    80   12.1     29.4  88.9   4:39 (231, 56)  
Oct. 19   9  8.53   49 42.8   2.232   2.328    82   11.9     29.2  90.6   4:44 (230, 58)

* 22P/Kopff
It is very low in the evening sky. 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)  
Oct. 12  15 13.06  -15 14.2   2.464   1.697    31   12.1     40.3 107.5  18:53 ( 69,  3)  
Oct. 19  15 32.02  -16 36.2   2.468   1.673    29   12.0     41.3 106.1  18:45 ( 68,  2)

* 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
It brightened about 1 mag after perihelion passage, and reached to 12 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   9 41.34   19  2.2   1.715   1.445    57   12.7     40.6 104.0   4:39 (273, 39)  
Oct. 19  10  0.15   17 52.5   1.712   1.483    59   12.8     38.4 105.0   4:44 (277, 41)

* 116P/Wild 4
Appearing at dawn. But it was much fainter than this ephemeris, 15.5 mag in mid October. It will be bright as 10-11 mag for a long time from winter to spring. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  11 28.92    5 17.0   3.121   2.286    27   12.9     31.2 114.1   4:39 (270,  9)  
Oct. 19  11 42.24    3 47.3   3.066   2.271    31   12.8     31.2 114.3   4:44 (274, 13)

* C/2002 Q5 ( LINEAR )
New comet. It brightened rapidly and reached to 13 mag. But it will not be observable in November. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  16 56.10    3  9.6   1.614   1.373    57   13.2     34.2 213.8  18:53 ( 67, 33)  
Oct. 19  16 48.37    0  7.1   1.746   1.332    49   12.9     27.9 211.0  18:45 ( 70, 26)

* C/2002 O4 ( Hoenig )
It is fading and being diffused very rapidly since mid September. It was reported fainter than 10 mag in late September. It may disappear soon. It turns to be in the morning sky after October. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  12 25.16   27 15.9   1.351   0.800    36   13.2     45.2 189.6   4:39 (244, 11)  
Oct. 19  12 21.77   22  7.0   1.400   0.843    36   13.8     44.1 187.5   4:44 (253, 15)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
It seems to keep 12 mag recently. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  20 31.77  -18 26.0   5.426   5.800   107   13.4      1.5  49.9  19:08 (  0, 37)  
Oct. 19  20 32.63  -18 18.1   5.533   5.798   100   13.4      2.7  61.6  18:45 (  1, 37)

* 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. Akimasa Nakamura reported that it was so faint as 17.4 mag on July 31. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  17  5.44  -33 32.3   2.067   1.801    60   13.5     33.7  85.5  18:53 ( 38,  8)  
Oct. 19  17 24.74  -33  9.2   2.079   1.761    57   13.4     35.7  84.0  18:45 ( 39,  9)

* C/2001 K5 ( LINEAR )
Strongly condensed. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  16 37.58   18 16.0   5.650   5.184    57   13.9      9.4  91.7  18:53 ( 86, 39)  
Oct. 19  16 42.40   18 15.3   5.703   5.185    54   13.9     10.2  89.5  18:45 ( 88, 36)

* C/2000 SV74 ( LINEAR )
It is as faint as 15 mag by CCD. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  13 57.25   48 57.8   4.292   3.845    57   14.0     17.6 139.4  18:53 (135, 23)  
Oct. 19  14  5.21   47 27.9   4.309   3.870    57   14.0     16.7 137.2  18:45 (134, 20)

* C/2001 HT50 ( LINEAR-NEAT )
It will be observable in good condition at 11-12 mag in early 2003 and 2003 autumn. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  10  3.06   -3 12.1   4.498   3.875    46   14.2      3.7 162.1   4:39 (290, 22)  
Oct. 19  10  3.32   -3 36.7   4.351   3.829    52   14.1      3.5 180.5   4:44 (297, 27)

* 92P/Sanguin
It became brighter than expected, reached to 13 mag. But it has already begun to be fading. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  22 10.96   -6 42.9   0.979   1.818   133   14.3     22.9 131.1  20:48 (  0, 48)  
Oct. 19  22 19.65   -8 17.7   1.034   1.827   128   14.5     23.0 121.6  20:29 (  0, 47)

* 65P/Gunn
After conjunction, it will appear at dawn at 14 mag in January. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  13 40.54   -5  2.4   3.740   2.756     8   14.9     25.9 114.7  18:53 ( 91,-10)  
Oct. 19  13 51.68   -6 17.7   3.728   2.738     5   14.9     26.2 114.1  18:45 ( 91,-13)

* C/2001 N2 ( LINEAR )
It will be observable again at 15 mag in 2003 after the conjunction. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  15 17.11  -12 13.0   3.520   2.727    32   15.0     11.3 171.3  18:53 ( 71,  5)  
Oct. 19  15 18.13  -13 29.5   3.606   2.743    25   15.1     11.0 166.7  18:45 ( 73,  1)

* C/2002 Q2 ( LINEAR )
New comet. Moving within 1 deg with C/2002 Q3 ( LINEAR ). Because it is extremely diffused, it is hard to observe. It will fade out quickly after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  19 36.70   -9  9.0   1.073   1.538    95   15.2     70.8 161.4  18:53 ( 14, 44)  
Oct. 19  19 47.26  -15 54.5   1.236   1.593    90   15.7     54.2 156.6  18:45 ( 15, 38)

* C/2002 Q3 ( LINEAR )
New comet. Moving within 1 deg with C/2002 Q2 ( LINEAR ). Because it is extremely diffused, it is hard to observe. It will fade out quickly after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  19 35.29   -8 24.5   1.068   1.532    95   15.7     72.2 161.2  18:53 ( 14, 45)  
Oct. 19  19 46.10  -15 17.6   1.230   1.586    90   16.2     55.3 156.5  18:45 ( 15, 38)

* C/2001 Q4 ( NEAT )
It will be naked eye object in 2004. It is only 16 mag now and locates low in the Northern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   2 45.79  -38 26.6   6.165   6.837   128   15.8     10.4 226.8   1:25 (  0, 17)  
Oct. 19   2 41.06  -39 13.6   6.111   6.777   128   15.7     10.3 232.4   0:53 (  0, 16)

* P/2002 T1 ( LINEAR )
New periodic comet. Now it is passing near by the earth. It will fade out rapidly after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   1 34.04   21 26.7   0.201   1.193   164   15.8    122.9 352.2   0:14 (  0, 76)  
Oct. 19   1 25.17   34 17.8   0.221   1.200   155   16.0     98.0 350.6  23:32 (180, 90)

* 30P/Reinmuth 1
It will be observable in good condition at 14 mag in winter. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   8 40.04   15 39.3   2.088   1.986    70   16.1     32.3 100.3   4:39 (288, 49)  
Oct. 19   8 55.34   14 57.4   2.005   1.967    73   15.9     32.0 101.0   4:44 (293, 52)

* 2002 RP120
New asteroid with a cometary orbit. It will be as bright as 15.5 mag in October. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   3 19.03   18 11.0   1.581   2.475   146   16.1     55.6 286.7   1:59 (  0, 73)  
Oct. 19   2 50.93   19 56.6   1.522   2.477   158   15.9     61.7 283.4   1:04 (  0, 75)

* C/2002 E2 ( Snyder-Murakami )
It keeps 16 mag since August. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  15 11.30   71 47.1   3.305   3.309    81   16.2     13.9  81.0  18:53 (158, 37)  
Oct. 19  15 32.73   72  3.6   3.331   3.379    84   16.2     15.0  79.6  18:45 (158, 38)

* 57P/du Toit-Neujmin-Delporte
It brightened rapidly and reached to 14 mag. Now it is fading rapidly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  20 52.69  -15 26.9   1.221   1.853   112   16.3     23.1  81.1  19:30 (  0, 40)  
Oct. 19  21  4.03  -14 58.4   1.303   1.876   108   16.7     24.5  79.3  19:14 (  0, 40)

* 154P/2002 Q4 ( Brewington )
Although it was expected to be 10 mag in winter, it does not brighten at all. It will be 15 mag at best. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  20  2.60  -27 55.7   1.725   2.116    98   16.4     16.0  37.3  18:53 (  3, 27)  
Oct. 19  20  8.46  -26 25.4   1.761   2.071    93   16.4     18.2  44.0  18:45 (  7, 28)

* 155P/2002 R2 ( Shoemaker 3 )
Recovered 3 mag fainter than expected. Although it will be at the peak in 2003 January and be observable in good condition, it may reach to 15 mag at best. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   7 28.90   19 40.3   1.707   1.940    87   17.0     31.8  93.8   4:39 (302, 65)  
Oct. 19   7 44.50   19 23.9   1.621   1.915    90   16.8     31.4  94.5   4:44 (310, 68)

* C/2002 R3 ( LONEOS )
New comet. It will be observable at 16-17 mag until the end of 2003. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   3 44.96   21 29.3   3.602   4.410   139   17.0     22.1 266.9   2:25 (  0, 77)  
Oct. 19   3 33.24   21 17.9   3.496   4.382   149   16.9     24.7 265.3   1:45 (  0, 76)

* C/2000 CT54 ( LINEAR )
Fading slowly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   0 59.27   -0 53.5   4.399   5.389   171   17.0     10.5 275.8  23:34 (  0, 54)  
Oct. 19   0 54.52   -0 45.4   4.466   5.436   165   17.1     10.0 277.4  23:02 (  0, 54)

* 90P/Gehrels 1
It became 17 mag, brighter than expected. It keeps 17 mag in the high position until December. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   5 34.25   32 44.6   2.529   3.068   113   17.1      6.4  45.8   4:13 (  0, 88)  
Oct. 19   5 36.18   33 15.4   2.460   3.081   119   17.1      4.9  28.2   3:47 (  0, 88)

* C/2002 A3 ( LINEAR )
Appearing at dawn. It keeps 17 mag until next April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   9 16.13    8 16.4   5.741   5.311    59   17.3      9.6  86.0   4:39 (289, 38)  
Oct. 19   9 20.47    8 22.0   5.655   5.324    65   17.3      8.8  83.9   4:44 (295, 43)

* P/2002 Q1 ( Van Ness )
New periodic comet. It will go southwards while fading out after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   5 30.48  -25  5.2   1.178   1.770   108   17.3     27.5 163.0   4:09 (  0, 30)  
Oct. 19   5 33.54  -28  1.4   1.192   1.805   110   17.4     24.3 171.2   3:45 (  0, 27)

* 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)  
Oct. 12  18 34.37   13  5.6   6.260   6.227    83   17.4      2.7 227.1  18:53 ( 53, 58)  
Oct. 19  18 33.70   12 53.6   6.342   6.207    77   17.4      1.8 208.3  18:45 ( 59, 55)

* C/2002 C2 ( LINEAR )
It locates high until October at 17.5 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   4 49.55   -1 31.2   3.035   3.688   124   17.5     24.8 212.2   3:29 (  0, 54)  
Oct. 19   4 42.83   -3 59.0   2.989   3.719   131   17.5     26.2 216.2   2:55 (  0, 51)

* C/2001 U6 ( LINEAR )
It locates high until December at 17.5 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  18 51.99   64 11.5   4.242   4.438    94   17.6     23.2 170.2  18:53 (163, 58)  
Oct. 19  18 56.62   61 32.3   4.259   4.445    94   17.6     23.1 167.1  18:45 (157, 59)

* C/2001 B2 ( NEAT )
Appearing at dawn. It is getting fainter gradually. It keeps brighter than 18 mag until March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   9 40.22   19 51.9   8.159   7.675    57   17.6      2.3  41.7   4:39 (272, 39)  
Oct. 19   9 40.82   20  5.1   8.082   7.709    64   17.6      2.2  22.4   4:44 (277, 46)

* C/2002 K4 ( NEAT )
It will be fainter than 18 mag in November. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12  18  6.62   26 19.3   2.903   2.895    79   17.6      1.1 214.0  18:53 ( 82, 61)  
Oct. 19  18  6.88   26 15.5   3.003   2.915    75   17.7      1.6  97.3  18:45 ( 85, 57)

* 118P/Sheomaker-Levy 4
It will be 17 mag in the evening sky until 2003 spring, then it will be in conjunction with the sun. After the perihelion passage, it will appear at dawn at 15.5 mag, then it will fade out. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   0  3.92   -7 13.5   1.882   2.834   158   17.7     11.9 239.1  22:39 (  0, 48)  
Oct. 19  23 59.39   -7 52.7   1.893   2.804   150   17.6     10.2 240.4  22:07 (  0, 47)

* 81P/Wild 2
It will be observable until next spring when it becomes 13 mag in the evening sky. However, it is not observable around the perihelion passage. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 12   4 56.27   18 40.1   2.610   3.268   123   18.1      1.2 205.3   3:35 (  0, 74)  
Oct. 19   4 55.45   18 31.7   2.493   3.231   130   17.9      3.1 244.9   3:07 (  0, 74)

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