Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2004 Jan. 24: North)

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Updated on January 25, 2004
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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 T7 ( LINEAR )


It has been brightening in rapid pace since mid December, and already reached to 7.5 mag. It will be 0 mag in the southern sky in spring. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is getting lower in the evening sky after this, and will be unobservable in early March.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24   0 30.96   18 54.7   1.837   1.796    72    7.6     22.2 227.6  18:47 ( 74, 53)  
Jan. 31   0 23.86   17 18.0   1.896   1.692    62    7.4     18.0 225.0  18:53 ( 80, 44)  

* C/2001 Q4 ( NEAT )


It is expected to be 2 mag in spring. 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)  
Jan. 24  23  4.87  -70 37.6   2.413   2.043    56    9.2     10.3   6.2  18:47 ( 18,-23)  
Jan. 31  23  7.46  -69 29.2   2.330   1.956    55    8.9      9.7  16.2  18:53 ( 21,-25)  

* 2P/Encke


In the Northern Hemisphere, it is not observable until when it becomes fainter than 18 mag. In the Southern Hemisphere, it appears in the very low sky at dawn in late February, but it will be fainter than 15 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24  19  8.25  -27 39.8   1.555   0.699    18   10.8     57.3  85.6   5:36 (298, -8)  
Jan. 31  19 36.30  -26 56.6   1.684   0.825    19   12.1     50.4  81.8   5:33 (297, -9)  

* C/2003 T3 ( Tabur )


Not obesrvable. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will appear at dawn at 12.5 mag. However, because it had been fading since the discovery although it was coming closer to the Sun, the brightness in May is quite uncertain. Then it keeps low until autumn.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24  22  2.97  -21 24.4   2.845   1.983    23   12.5     33.4  42.3  18:47 ( 64,  0)  
Jan. 31  22 14.32  -18 28.5   2.821   1.923    19   12.5     34.5  42.4  18:53 ( 69, -2)  

* 43P/Wolf-Harrington


It will be observable at 13 mag in the evening sky until April. It is already as bright as 12.5 mag visually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24   0 48.13   13 30.6   1.661   1.668    73   12.6     35.7  86.5  18:47 ( 62, 54)  
Jan. 31   1  5.58   13 47.8   1.697   1.647    70   12.6     37.1  85.7  18:53 ( 67, 51)  

* C/2003 H1 ( LINEAR )


It is expected to be 12 mag in March. But the recent brightening is slow. In the Northern Hemisphere, it locates 30 deg high, not so high in the south.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24  14 33.02  -17 50.5   2.187   2.265    81   13.0     21.6 230.4   5:36 (346, 36)  
Jan. 31  14 23.28  -19 30.4   2.020   2.255    90   12.8     27.4 237.3   5:33 (356, 35)  

* C/2001 HT50 ( LINEAR-NEAT )


It start fading in December. It will be too low in the evening sky at 14 mag in March.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24   0 39.42    8 45.4   3.661   3.438    69   13.1      3.6 276.7  18:47 ( 59, 49)  
Jan. 31   0 38.16    8 50.8   3.831   3.478    61   13.3      2.1 301.4  18:53 ( 67, 42)  

* 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)  
Jan. 24  22 48.30   -2 15.1   6.453   5.729    39   13.7     11.0  67.5  18:47 ( 72, 21)  
Jan. 31  22 53.14   -1 44.7   6.521   5.729    33   13.8     11.4  67.1  18:53 ( 77, 15)  

* C/2003 K4 ( LINEAR )


It will be 6.5 mag in the southern sky from autumn to winter in 2004. It becomes low in January, but then it will become higher soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24  19 44.29   15 34.8   4.515   3.766    36   14.0      8.5  79.4   5:36 (257,  9)  
Jan. 31  19 48.32   15 48.9   4.431   3.691    36   13.9      8.7  73.3   5:33 (260, 14)  

* 40P/Vaisala 1


It will be observable in good condition at 14 mag to April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24  14 26.16   -3 58.7   1.541   1.796    87   14.1     33.3  94.7   5:36 (345, 50)  
Jan. 31  14 41.36   -4 13.1   1.485   1.798    91   14.0     31.8  92.6   5:33 (348, 50)  

* 88P/Howell


It was observed as 16.1 mag on Dec. 31, 1.5 mag fainter than expected. Although it had been expected to reach to 10 mag in spring, it may be 12.5 or 14 mag at best. It is 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)  
Jan. 24  17 24.44  -23 15.2   2.212   1.612    41   14.4     46.0  96.0   5:36 (310, 12)  
Jan. 31  17 48.07  -23 42.0   2.143   1.575    43   14.1     47.2  93.7   5:33 (311, 12)  

* 81P/Wild 2


Appearing at dawn and observed as bright as expected. It is fading out gradually after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24  17 20.39  -20 43.7   2.575   1.966    42   14.1     32.1  93.6   5:36 (309, 15)  
Jan. 31  17 36.06  -20 54.2   2.558   2.004    46   14.2     30.7  92.0   5:33 (311, 16)  

* 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)  
Jan. 24  13 19.02   10 38.0   1.637   2.159   108   15.0     12.9 102.0   5:09 (  0, 66)  
Jan. 31  13 24.32   10 22.2   1.576   2.169   113   15.0      9.9 100.7   4:46 (  0, 65)  

* 58P/Jackson-Neujmin


Not yet recovered in this return. At the previous appearance, it brightened after the perihelion passage and reached to 10 mag. If it behaves so again, it may brighten after the perihelion passage on Jan. 9 and reach to 13 mag in March. However, it keeps locating very low in the evening sky.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24  23  7.75  -10 52.8   1.988   1.399    40   15.4     52.1  74.0  18:47 ( 61, 19)  
Jan. 31  23 31.39   -9  8.4   2.020   1.411    39   15.1     52.0  72.9  18:53 ( 64, 18)  

* 65P/Gunn


Not observable. It becomes observable again at 15.5 mag after June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24  22  0.68  -20 35.1   3.758   2.879    23   15.2     24.9  68.9  18:47 ( 64,  0)  
Jan. 31  22 12.17  -19 31.6   3.810   2.899    19   15.3     24.8  68.4  18:53 ( 68, -3)  

* P/2002 T6 ( NEAT-LINEAR )


Now it is much brighter than expected, around 15.5 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24   6 36.70    8 53.7   2.785   3.685   152   16.0      6.4 286.1  22:23 (  0, 64)  
Jan. 31   6 34.12    9  7.6   2.849   3.704   145   16.1      5.2 294.7  21:53 (  0, 64)  

* 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. It seems to be fading much faster than expected recently.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24   2  4.52    0 13.9   1.815   2.002    85   16.2     24.8 146.0  18:47 ( 23, 53)  
Jan. 31   2 11.20   -1 54.9   1.972   2.043    79   16.5     22.1 138.1  18:53 ( 32, 48)  

* 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)  
Jan. 24  22 26.10   71  3.3   2.640   2.865    92   16.2     34.0  93.4  18:47 (157, 40)  
Jan. 31  23 14.28   70 30.3   2.666   2.867    91   16.2     34.4 100.7  18:53 (156, 41)  

* 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)  
Jan. 24   5 49.01   78  2.2   5.059   5.597   118   16.5     10.7 258.1  21:35 (180, 47)  
Jan. 31   5 26.98   77 39.6   5.041   5.531   115   16.4     10.2 246.5  20:45 (180, 47)  

* 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)  
Jan. 24  12 10.70    1  3.6   1.813   2.471   121   16.6      4.1  40.3   4:01 (  0, 56)  
Jan. 31  12 11.27    1 30.4   1.765   2.499   128   16.6      4.5 357.3   3:34 (  0, 56)  

* P/2002 T5 ( LINEAR )


It is observable around 17 mag until spring.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24   8 10.13   18 26.9   3.128   4.111   176   16.6     11.3 312.3   0:01 (  0, 73)  
Jan. 31   8  6.08   19 19.6   3.151   4.123   169   16.6     10.9 313.0  23:25 (  0, 74)  

* C/2003 V1 ( LINEAR )


It will be observable until March when it will be fainter than 18 mag. It was a bit brighter than this ephemeris recently.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24  10 23.10   48 22.7   3.263   4.086   142   16.9     10.2 295.9   2:14 (180, 77)  
Jan. 31  10 16.36   48 49.4   3.308   4.149   144   17.0     10.4 287.8   1:39 (180, 76)  

* C/2003 G1 ( LINEAR )


Appearing at dawn. It keeps 17 mag until early summer, and observable in good condition brighter than 18 mag until October.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24  18 29.80   17 58.1   6.250   5.617    46   17.0     13.8  56.5   5:36 (265, 26)  
Jan. 31  18 35.36   18 53.6   6.233   5.643    49   17.0     13.8  53.4   5:33 (267, 30)  

* C/2002 J5 ( LINEAR )


It keeps 17 mag until July.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24  17  2.41   36 48.2   6.003   5.799    73   17.0      9.1  12.4   5:36 (253, 51)  
Jan. 31  17  3.30   37 53.7   5.947   5.807    77   17.0      9.9   6.3   5:33 (252, 56)  

* 2003 WN188


Unusual minor planet with a period of 55 years. It reaches to 17 mag in February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 24   9 45.79   22 34.3   1.393   2.343   160   17.4     19.6 357.9   1:36 (  0, 77)  
Jan. 31   9 45.02   24 54.6   1.352   2.319   165   17.3     20.5 353.8   1:08 (  0, 80)  

* C/2003 W1 ( LINEAR )


It 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)  
Jan. 24   1 38.87   39 48.9   1.567   1.913    94   17.3     52.0 136.4  18:47 (112, 74)  
Jan. 31   1 58.90   35 41.7   1.691   1.958    90   17.6     46.0 135.3  18:53 ( 98, 71)  

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )


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)  
Jan. 24  13 54.39   12  3.3   7.563   7.802   100   17.5      0.5  38.9   5:36 (355, 67)  
Jan. 31  13 54.32   12  6.9   7.494   7.839   107   17.5      0.9 317.2   5:16 (  0, 67)  

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