Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2004 Mar. 20: North)

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Updated on March 27, 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 )


The brightness evolution had been slower than expected from January to February. Not it is not observable. In the Southern Hemisphere, it appears at dawn in mid April at 3.5 mag, then it locates in good position at 1 mag in May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20   0  0.96   10 24.4   1.904   0.943    10    5.7      9.0 215.0  19:35 (111,-11)  
Mar. 27  23 58.42    9 29.6   1.811   0.842     9    5.2     10.1 213.6   4:29 (252, -9)  

* C/2001 Q4 ( NEAT )


It will be 2 mag in May. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in the south-western sky at dusk. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is not observable until May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20   0 16.09  -65 30.1   1.431   1.362    65    6.5     16.6  91.6  19:35 ( 30,-39)  
Mar. 27   0 37.52  -65 38.2   1.259   1.285    68    6.0     21.9  95.3  19:42 ( 30,-40)  

* C/2003 T3 ( Tabur )


Not obesrvable. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will appear at dawn at 9.5 mag in May. Because brightness evolution before the perihelion passage was very slow, it can be fainter than this ephemeris. Then it keeps low until autumn.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20  23 40.38    5 10.8   2.568   1.584     7    9.8     43.7  41.4   4:39 (256,-11)  
Mar. 27  23 54.21    9  4.2   2.526   1.552     9    9.8     45.2  41.4   4:29 (253, -8)  

* C/2003 H1 ( LINEAR )


It is diffused around 11.5 mag visually. It keeps observable at 11-12 mag until April. After mid April, it begins to be lower and fainter in the evening sky.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20  10 55.95  -26 17.1   1.344   2.260   149   11.9     79.9 279.5  22:59 (  0, 29)  
Mar. 27  10 17.36  -24 19.0   1.398   2.272   142   12.0     72.5 285.3  21:53 (  0, 31)  

* C/2003 K4 ( LINEAR )


It is already as bright as 12.5 mag, well condensed and easy to see. It will be 6.5 mag in the southern sky from autumn to winter in 2004. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is observable in good condition until early September when it becomes to 7.5 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20  20 12.09   20 42.7   3.544   3.151    59   12.7     10.8  23.3   4:39 (271, 40)  
Mar. 27  20 13.89   21 56.4   3.382   3.072    63   12.5     11.6  14.5   4:29 (272, 43)  

* 43P/Wolf-Harrington


It will be observable at 12-13 mag in the evening sky until April. But it will be getting lower gradually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20   3 23.07   16 18.2   1.964   1.579    52   12.5     43.1  87.3  19:35 ( 88, 33)  
Mar. 27   3 44.09   16 29.1   2.006   1.581    51   12.6     43.4  88.3  19:42 ( 90, 30)  

* 103P/Hartley 2


The condition is worst in this return. It is not observable around the perihelion passage. It will appear at dawn in autumn, when it will already fade to 15 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20  23  8.63    1 51.1   2.266   1.313    12   13.1     53.5  71.4   4:39 (263, -7)  
Mar. 27  23 32.85    3 52.6   2.212   1.259    12   12.7     55.8  71.5   4:29 (260, -7)  

* 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 has behaved so again, it could have reach to 13 mag in February and March. However, it must be much fainter actually than expected. It will be unobservable in April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20   2  5.77    3 40.4   2.366   1.609    31   13.4     46.1  72.1  19:35 ( 88, 10)  
Mar. 27   2 26.04    5 16.0   2.431   1.650    30   13.6     44.8  72.8  19:42 ( 91,  8)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


Not observable. It will appear at dawn in May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20  23 29.67    2 23.4   6.712   5.726     7   13.8     12.6  64.3   4:39 (259,-11)  
Mar. 27  23 34.93    3  1.7   6.697   5.726    12   13.8     12.5  63.8   4:29 (261, -8)  

* 88P/Howell


Although it had been expected to reach to 10 mag in April, it was so faint as 14.6 mag still in late February. It will be 14 mag at best in this return. 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)  
Mar. 20  20 46.19  -20  9.5   1.780   1.392    51   14.0     52.5  77.3   4:39 (302,  8)  
Mar. 27  21 11.42  -18 41.7   1.748   1.380    51   13.9     52.4  75.4   4:29 (299,  8)  

* C/2001 HT50 ( LINEAR-NEAT )


Not observable. It will appear at dawn again at 15 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20   0 44.22   10 57.4   4.726   3.777    15   14.2      5.2  46.8  19:35 (105, -3)  
Mar. 27   0 46.04   11 22.7   4.800   3.822    10   14.3      5.3  46.5  19:42 (111, -9)  

* 123P/West-Hartley


Getting brighter than expected after the perihelion passage. It is observable visually around 13.5 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20  13 18.63   10  4.6   1.319   2.272   157   14.4     12.0 265.5   1:28 (  0, 65)  
Mar. 27  13 12.62    9 54.6   1.319   2.291   162   14.5     13.4 261.7   0:55 (  0, 65)  

* 118P/Sheomaker-Levy 4


Althouhg it must be fainter than 17 mag now, it unexpectedly brightened from February to March and reached to 14.5 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20  11 46.05    7 28.3   1.713   2.703   172   14.8     13.1 304.1  23:51 (  0, 63)  
Mar. 27  11 41.16    8 16.2   1.758   2.733   164   15.0     11.7 302.8  23:19 (  0, 63)  

* 40P/Vaisala 1


The brightness evolution is gradual in this return. So it will reach to 15 mag at best.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20  15 57.86   -1 57.9   1.178   1.887   120   14.9     13.6  64.1   4:07 (  0, 53)  
Mar. 27  16  2.65   -1 15.2   1.149   1.910   125   14.9     10.4  53.2   3:44 (  0, 54)  

* 81P/Wild 2


It is a bit fainter, and is fading a bit faster than expected before, after it appeared at dawn.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20  19  4.43  -19 58.5   2.336   2.282    74   15.5     19.3  82.9   4:39 (320, 24)  
Mar. 27  19 13.40  -19 41.4   2.291   2.324    79   15.6     17.2  81.9   4:29 (322, 25)  

* 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)  
Mar. 20   4 33.84   72 35.9   5.066   5.059    83   16.1      6.1 166.9  19:35 (163, 46)  
Mar. 27   4 36.87   71 56.4   5.075   4.989    79   16.0      6.0 154.3  19:42 (160, 45)  

* C/2003 L2 ( LINEAR )


It is getting fainter slowly and will be unobervable at 17 mag in May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20   3  4.47   58 23.9   3.135   2.929    68   16.6     29.0 125.4  19:35 (140, 42)  
Mar. 27   3 24.41   56 27.2   3.230   2.944    64   16.7     27.8 125.8  19:42 (138, 40)  

* C/2003 G1 ( LINEAR )


It will be fading slowly until November when it becomes fainter than 18 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20  19  6.27   27  6.9   6.007   5.831    75   16.9     12.9  26.7   4:39 (272, 56)  
Mar. 27  19  9.06   28 28.6   5.969   5.859    78   16.9     12.7  22.1   4:29 (272, 59)  

* 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)  
Mar. 20  16 48.69   47 39.2   5.590   5.875   101   16.9     15.2 327.6   4:39 (194, 77)  
Mar. 27  16 42.42   49  7.3   5.560   5.886   104   16.9     15.7 322.0   4:24 (180, 76)  

* P/2002 T5 ( LINEAR )


It will become fainter than 18 mag, and too low to observe in June. It was about 0.5 mag brighter than this ephemeris around the opposition from December to February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20   7 52.41   24  3.0   3.682   4.212   115   17.1      4.0  20.6  19:59 (  0, 79)  
Mar. 27   7 53.54   24 27.2   3.794   4.226   109   17.2      4.4  43.4  19:42 ( 11, 79)  

* P/2002 T6 ( NEAT-LINEAR )


It reached to 15.5 mag in January, much brighter than expected. Now it is fading.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20   6 38.87   11 11.8   3.549   3.847    99   17.1      7.7  73.0  19:35 ( 28, 64)  
Mar. 27   6 42.71   11 26.7   3.669   3.869    93   17.3      9.0  77.2  19:42 ( 42, 60)  

* C/2003 E1 ( NEAT )


It will be observable at 17.5 mag in good condition until August.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20  18 11.90    8 33.2   3.159   3.258    86   17.2     13.8  70.9   4:39 (313, 55)  
Mar. 27  18 17.68    9  5.3   3.087   3.264    91   17.2     12.3  67.9   4:29 (316, 57)  

* C/2003 V1 ( LINEAR )


Fading slowly. It will be observable in good condition until May 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)  
Mar. 20   9 33.82   47 28.8   3.966   4.587   123   17.3      7.5 221.2  21:40 (180, 78)  
Mar. 27   9 30.95   46 47.0   4.100   4.648   117   17.4      7.2 208.8  21:10 (180, 78)  

* 2003 WN188


Unusual minor planet with a period of 55 years. It becomes to be at peak in mid February, and fainter than 18 mag in late March.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 20   9 39.60   37 48.9   1.429   2.210   130   17.6      8.2  28.0  21:46 (180, 87)  
Mar. 27   9 42.62   38 30.2   1.479   2.204   124   17.7      7.8  54.2  21:22 (180, 86)  

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