Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2003 Dec. 13: South)

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Updated on December 16, 2003
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Southern Hemisphere.

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* 2P/Encke


Too close to the Sun to see. It passes the perihelion at the end of 2003, then it locates very low sky in the morning and may be observable.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  17 20.25   -9 34.7   0.460   0.548    13    6.8     85.0 221.9   2:53 (308,-28)  
Dec. 20  17  0.21  -16 12.6   0.597   0.428    13    6.6     56.7 205.7   2:54 (304,-16)  

* C/2002 T7 ( LINEAR )


It is expected to be 1 mag in the southern sky in 2004 spring. Brightening as expected.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13   2 15.24   33 16.8   1.560   2.390   138    9.2     54.5 248.6  20:54 (178, 22)  
Dec. 20   1 48.62   30 45.7   1.568   2.294   126    9.1     51.0 243.8  20:59 (164, 23)  

* C/2001 Q4 ( NEAT )


It is expected to be 1 mag in 2004 spring. But recent brightness evolution is slower than expected, so it may reaches to only 3 mag at best. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition until that time. On the other hand, in the Northern Hemisphere, it is not observable until that time.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13   0  9.62  -78 22.5   2.721   2.556    69   10.5     16.1 301.8  20:54 (  9, 44)  
Dec. 20  23 42.95  -77 14.2   2.688   2.472    66   10.4     14.9 315.2  20:59 ( 13, 43)  

* C/2003 T3 ( Tabur )


It had not been brightening at all after disdovery in October, and still keeps 11-12 mag. Now it locates very low sky in the evening in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is only observable until early January.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  20 59.27  -37 23.0   2.898   2.372    49   11.7     27.1  38.1  20:54 ( 62, 27)  
Dec. 20  21  9.22  -34 52.3   2.899   2.305    44   11.6     28.1  39.4  20:59 ( 62, 22)  

* C/2001 HT50 ( LINEAR-NEAT )


It is observable about 12 mag in good condition, but it will fade out gradually after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13   1 15.20   10 30.2   2.598   3.215   120   12.1     25.8 256.3  20:54 (158, 42)  
Dec. 20   1  4.55    9 52.1   2.765   3.250   111   12.2     20.5 256.6  20:59 (145, 38)  

* 43P/Wolf-Harrington


It will be observable at 13 mag in the evening sky until April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  23 22.17   14 18.4   1.448   1.839    96   13.4     23.4 102.9  20:54 (131, 25)  
Dec. 20  23 33.81   13 47.0   1.482   1.806    91   13.3     25.8  98.2  20:59 (127, 22)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


No evident activity had been observed since October. Now it is faint.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  22 24.47   -4 33.9   5.895   5.732    75   13.5      6.7  70.4  20:54 (105, 28)  
Dec. 20  22 27.64   -4 16.8   6.002   5.732    69   13.6      7.7  69.9  20:59 (100, 22)  

* 81P/Wild 2


Appearing at dawn. No observations have been reported since 2003 May. It is fading out gradually after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  15 35.67  -17  3.6   2.610   1.766    24   13.6     39.1 103.1   2:53 (295, -5)  
Dec. 20  15 54.12  -18  0.9   2.610   1.796    27   13.7     38.0 101.6   2:54 (294, -3)  

* C/2003 H1 ( LINEAR )


Appearing at dawn. Although it had been 15.5 mag before conjunction and did not brighten at all, Ken-ichi Kadota reported that it brightened to 14 mag on Dec. 3. It will reach to 11-12 mag and be observable visually in next spring.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  14 50.18   -9 44.7   3.084   2.385    37   13.9     10.2 176.6   2:53 (283, -1)  
Dec. 20  14 50.16  -10 57.0   2.958   2.359    44   13.7     10.5 184.1   2:54 (280,  5)  

* C/2003 T2 ( LINEAR )


It will get fainter on and on after this and be too low in the evening sky at 18 mag in March.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13   1 39.40   31 58.3   1.020   1.825   131   14.2     80.3 179.8  20:54 (170, 23)  
Dec. 20   1 40.62   23 21.6   1.111   1.845   123   14.4     67.2 176.4  20:59 (161, 30)  

* C/2003 K4 ( LINEAR )


It will be 7 mag in the southern sky from autumn to winter in 2004.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  19 22.50   16 24.4   4.775   4.207    49   14.6      7.1 122.8  20:54 ( 96,-21)  
Dec. 20  19 25.58   16  0.4   4.759   4.135    45   14.6      7.3 114.1  20:59 ( 91,-27)  

* 65P/Gunn


It will be lower than 10 deg at the end of 2003. It becomes observable again at 15.5 mag after 2004 June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  20 49.60  -26 22.5   3.330   2.764    47   14.7     24.1  72.4  20:54 ( 72, 20)  
Dec. 20  21  1.59  -25 29.9   3.413   2.783    43   14.8     24.4  71.7  20:59 ( 70, 16)  

* 40P/Vaisala 1


It will be observable in good condition at 14 mag from January to April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  12 46.70    0 13.5   1.933   1.844    69   14.9     37.5 103.3   2:53 (256, 18)  
Dec. 20  13  3.72   -0 44.5   1.861   1.829    72   14.7     37.3 102.3   2:54 (255, 21)  

* 88P/Howell


Appearing at dawn. No observations have been reported since 2003 March, however, it must have been brightening rapidly. It will reach to 10 mag in next spring and be observable in good condition in the Southern Hemisphere. But in the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps locating lower than 15 deg until June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  15 20.60  -17 22.7   2.671   1.863    28   15.4     38.6 106.7   2:53 (293, -2)  
Dec. 20  15 39.09  -18 37.7   2.593   1.818    30   15.1     39.8 105.3   2:54 (293,  0)  

* 123P/West-Hartley


It is observable in good condition at 15 mag until April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  12 24.06   14 17.2   2.045   2.129    81   15.4     25.4 107.1   2:53 (241, 14)  
Dec. 20  12 35.41   13 27.0   1.975   2.130    85   15.3     23.9 106.6   2:54 (239, 17)  

* C/2002 X1 ( LINEAR )


It will become too low in the evening sky at 17 mag in February. It had been a bit fainter than this ephemeris recently.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13   0 58.49  -13 25.1   2.544   2.979   106   15.5     22.4 266.3  20:54 (134, 61)  
Dec. 20   0 48.98  -13 29.6   2.725   3.020    97   15.7     17.4 270.2  20:59 (119, 54)  

* C/2003 L2 ( LINEAR )


It will be observable around 16 mag until March in the northern sky.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  18 32.88   66 24.9   2.706   2.889    90   16.0     24.0  64.7  20:54 (151,-42)  
Dec. 20  19  0.33   67 36.7   2.674   2.881    91   15.9     26.3  66.4  20:59 (153,-43)  

* P/2002 T6 ( NEAT-LINEAR )


Now it is much brighter than expected, around 16 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13   6 59.02    8 50.4   2.684   3.583   152   16.1      7.2 255.0   1:35 (180, 46)  
Dec. 20   6 55.49    8 39.7   2.666   3.599   158   16.1      8.0 261.4   1:04 (180, 46)  

* C/2003 W1 ( LINEAR )


New comet. It keeps 16.5 mag until early January. But it will be fading after that, and will be fainter than 18 mag in early February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  21  2.02   66 27.6   1.273   1.724    98   16.4     66.8  98.3  20:54 (154,-27)  
Dec. 20  22 16.24   64  9.2   1.263   1.749   101   16.4     70.8 112.2  20:59 (154,-22)  

* 157P/2003 T1 ( Tritton )


Although it was observed visually at 12 mag in October, it is fading out rapidly since November.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  11 43.06   -1 11.1   1.447   1.662    83   16.4     26.9 124.7   2:53 (246, 32)  
Dec. 20  11 52.73   -2 54.9   1.419   1.700    88   16.7     24.0 126.6   2:54 (244, 36)  

* C/2003 V1 ( LINEAR )


New comet. Although it must have been bright for more than one year, it was not discovered until recently. It will be observable while it is getting fainter, until March when it will be fainter than 18 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  10 42.14   44  1.4   3.223   3.708   112   16.4      6.4   8.8   2:53 (205,  4)  
Dec. 20  10 42.12   44 46.9   3.209   3.772   117   16.5      6.8 351.2   2:54 (200,  6)  

* 118P/Sheomaker-Levy 4


It will be fading slowly and become fainter than 18 mag in April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  11 41.46    1 39.0   2.172   2.312    85   16.4     17.7 104.2   2:53 (244, 30)  
Dec. 20  11 49.03    1 12.1   2.109   2.337    90   16.5     15.6 102.3   2:54 (240, 34)  

* C/2001 K5 ( LINEAR )


Fading slowly. It keeps observable in the Northern Hemisphere until 2004 May when it becomes fainter than 18 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  19 23.85   47 50.5   6.239   6.082    76   16.6     12.4  92.4  20:54 (128,-34)  
Dec. 20  19 32.60   47 49.0   6.291   6.109    74   16.6     12.7  89.4  20:59 (127,-38)  

* P/2002 T5 ( LINEAR )


It is observable around 17 mag until 2004 spring.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13   8 29.34   13 39.7   3.303   4.049   133   16.7      6.0 330.3   2:53 (184, 41)  
Dec. 20   8 27.53   14 18.8   3.241   4.059   141   16.6      7.5 322.5   2:36 (180, 41)  

* C/2002 R3 ( LONEOS )


It will become 17 mag and lower than 30 deg at the end of 2003.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  21 27.45    3  2.9   4.486   4.183    65   16.9      4.1 194.7  20:54 (102, 12)  
Dec. 20  21 27.27    2 38.5   4.627   4.206    58   17.0      3.1 175.5  20:59 ( 97,  5)  

* P/2002 LZ11 ( LINEAR )


An object discovered about one and a half year ago was revealed as a comet recently. It will be fainter than 18 mag in January.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13   2 31.65   14 25.5   2.095   2.916   139   17.3      5.2 212.1  21:04 (180, 41)  
Dec. 20   2 30.87   13 58.3   2.186   2.939   132   17.4      3.4 188.0  20:59 (173, 41)  

* (3200) Phaethon


After the perihelion passage in late September, now it is in good condition to observe. It will be fainter than 18 mag at the end of 2003.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  22 28.71   15 36.8   1.261   1.531    85   17.3     39.7  91.6  20:54 (122, 15)  
Dec. 20  22 46.80   15 32.5   1.406   1.606    82   17.6     35.2  90.0  20:59 (120, 13)  

* C/2003 T4 ( LINEAR )


It is expected to be 5 mag in 2005 spring. Until that time, it keeps observable in the Northern Hemisphere, which the comet will be getting brighter gradually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13   7 59.69   75  8.8   5.383   5.990   123   17.4     11.6 322.6   2:36 (180,-20)  
Dec. 20   7 44.94   76  9.3   5.302   5.925   125   17.3     11.8 313.6   1:54 (180,-21)  

* P/2003 S2 ( NEAT )


It will be fainter than 18 mag soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13   1 28.17    1  7.8   1.897   2.537   120   17.4      7.8  31.3  20:54 (158, 52)  
Dec. 20   1 30.64    1 57.3   1.986   2.549   113   17.6      9.8  41.1  20:59 (148, 48)  

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )


Getting higher in the morning sky. It is observable in good condition at 17.5 mag until May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13  13 46.40   12 32.9   7.976   7.579    62   17.6      5.3 111.0   2:53 (255, -1)  
Dec. 20  13 48.62   12 21.0   7.915   7.616    68   17.6      4.6 109.0   2:54 (252,  4)  

* P/2003 S1 ( NEAT )


It will be fainter than 18 mag soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13   0 21.54    6 35.7   2.240   2.697   107   17.9      9.4  84.7  20:54 (140, 40)  
Dec. 20   0 26.42    6 45.4   2.316   2.685   101   17.9     11.6  80.6  20:59 (133, 36)  

* 36P/Whipple


It will be fainter than 18 mag soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 13   3  5.81    6  2.5   2.339   3.187   143   17.9      5.5 261.8  21:38 (180, 49)  
Dec. 20   3  3.71    6  0.5   2.409   3.195   136   18.0      3.5 273.0  21:09 (180, 49)  

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