Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2004 May 8: South)

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Updated on May 8, 2004
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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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* C/2002 T7 ( LINEAR )


Good condition and visible with naked-eye in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will appear in the evening low sky in late May. It seems a bit fainter than this ephemeris recently.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8   0 38.35   -3 46.4   0.548   0.695    40    2.8    122.4 114.6   5:15 (258, 23)  
May  15   2 16.53  -12 42.7   0.323   0.774    36    1.9    367.6 106.9   5:19 (275, 15)  

* C/2001 Q4 ( NEAT )


It became observable in the Northern Hemisphere, too. It is at the peak now, however, the brightening evolution since April was unexpectedly slow and it seems to be 3.5 mag at best.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8   7 37.66  -11 35.9   0.323   0.972    74    3.6    342.3  24.6  18:37 (125, 52)  
May  15   8 32.02   18 19.5   0.415   0.962    71    4.1    207.6  24.7  18:32 (155, 31)  

* C/2004 F4 ( Bradfield )


It appeared in the morning sky in late April, and it was observed as bright as 3-4 mag with a long tail as 10 deg in spite of locating very low. In the Northern Hemisphere, the comet will be higher and higher after this. Although it becomes fainter rapidly, it will be a good target for visual observation in May. Not observable in the Southern Hemisphere.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8   1  1.11   39 23.5   1.252   0.705    34    7.2     41.6  10.7   5:15 (228, -9)  
May  15   1  6.67   43 31.8   1.398   0.875    38    8.4     32.5  16.8   5:19 (221, -8)  

* C/2003 T3 ( Tabur )


Appearing at dawn. Now it is 9.5 mag, as bright as expected. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps low after this until autumn. Not observable in the Southern Hemisphere.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8   1 37.07   34  9.8   2.334   1.486    25    9.6     52.3  46.6   5:15 (236,-11)  
May  15   1 59.67   38 16.2   2.322   1.498    27    9.6     52.7  48.9   5:19 (232,-12)  

* 88P/Howell


It keeps 10-11 mag until mid May. Good condition in the Southern Hemisphere, but it locates lower than 10 deg in the Northern Hemisphere. It becomes higher after June, but the comet will be fading at that time.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8  23 28.28   -7 20.9   1.639   1.396    57   10.1     46.5  68.4   5:15 (249, 39)  
May  15  23 48.17   -5 21.9   1.629   1.413    59   10.2     44.8  68.0   5:19 (244, 40)  

* C/2003 K4 ( LINEAR )


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)  
May   8  20  0.35   33  4.6   2.333   2.587    92   11.0     25.8 325.1   4:56 (180, 22)  
May  15  19 50.39   35 38.9   2.163   2.504    97   10.7     30.8 318.0   4:19 (180, 19)  

* 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)  
May   8   2 21.26   15 30.5   2.027   1.046     9   10.9     65.1  78.5   5:15 (257, -9)  
May  15   2 52.47   16 51.7   2.025   1.037     8   10.8     65.3  80.7   5:19 (256,-10)  

* 43P/Wolf-Harrington


It will be lower and lower while fading after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8   5 50.12   15 18.5   2.291   1.660    40   13.3     42.6  96.3  18:37 (122, 16)  
May  15   6 10.43   14 42.0   2.344   1.682    38   13.5     42.1  97.7  18:32 (121, 15)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


Appearing at dawn. But no observations have been reported yet.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8   0  4.14    6 49.2   6.403   5.724    44   13.7     10.6  60.7   5:15 (243, 23)  
May  15   0  8.38    7 25.1   6.324   5.724    49   13.7     10.1  60.0   5:19 (238, 27)  

* 123P/West-Hartley


It became brighter than expected after the perihelion passage, and it was observed visually around 13.5 mag in February and March. It keeps the same brightness still in late April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8  12 41.78    6  3.5   1.574   2.424   138   14.6      9.8 209.1  21:35 (180, 49)  
May  15  12 40.17    5  0.9   1.652   2.449   132   14.8      9.5 192.7  21:06 (180, 50)  

* C/2001 HT50 ( LINEAR-NEAT )


Appearing at dawn. It will fade out gradually, and keeps observable brighter than 17 mag until the end of 2004.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8   0 55.38   14  2.4   4.940   4.100    30   14.7      4.2  27.5   5:15 (246,  8)  
May  15   0 56.14   14 28.1   4.915   4.148    36   14.7      3.8  18.4   5:19 (241, 14)  

* C/2004 G1 ( LINEAR )


Michael Jager reported as bright as 15.5 mag on Apr. 15. However, many CCD observers reported it as faint as 17-18 mag, probably because it is diffused. It will become low soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8   4 32.06   72 13.8   1.515   1.278    56   15.0     50.1 160.4  18:37 (160,-29)  
May  15   4 50.93   67  6.3   1.625   1.246    50   15.0     42.4 163.5  18:32 (154,-28)  

* 58P/Jackson-Neujmin


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 seems to go while nobody succeeded to observe it in this return.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8   4 18.29   12 12.3   2.853   1.930    19   15.1     37.0  79.8  18:37 (105,  0)  
May  15   4 35.44   12 54.2   2.923   1.980    17   15.4     35.8  81.2  18:32 (105, -1)  

* 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)  
May   8  15 56.40    1 46.1   1.120   2.086   156   15.3      9.6 272.3   0:53 (180, 53)  
May  15  15 51.77    1 42.5   1.147   2.120   158   15.4     10.2 261.9   0:21 (180, 53)  

* C/2003 H1 ( LINEAR )


It was diffused around 11.5 mag visually in February and March. But it began to fade out rapidly in April and reached to 15 mag in late April. It will become low soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8   8 26.85  -12 13.7   2.255   2.399    85   15.4     16.7 307.2  18:37 (138, 61)  
May  15   8 21.56  -11 10.8   2.424   2.429    78   15.6     12.1 311.1  18:32 (129, 56)  

* 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)  
May   8   5 22.81   69 22.9   5.041   4.565    56   15.6      8.3 103.9  18:37 (159,-24)  
May  15   5 33.97   69 10.3   5.014   4.493    53   15.5      9.0  99.9  18:32 (159,-25)  

* P/2004 F3 ( NEAT )


It is observable at 15-16 mag for a long time until 2005 autumn.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8  13 15.86   11 47.3   2.285   3.136   141   15.8      8.6 250.8  22:08 (180, 43)  
May  15  13 12.38   11 23.0   2.325   3.121   134   15.8      7.7 237.7  21:38 (180, 44)  

* 81P/Wild 2


In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps fading at about 35 deg high until August when it becomes fainter than 18 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8  19 42.38  -18 27.9   1.998   2.572   113   16.0      1.8  73.9   4:38 (180, 73)  
May  15  19 42.54  -18 26.3   1.955   2.613   120   16.0      1.1 266.8   4:11 (180, 73)  

* 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)  
May   8  19 13.79   36 39.9   5.780   6.034    99   16.9     11.1 350.3   4:10 (180, 18)  
May  15  19 12.38   37 54.3   5.762   6.064   102   16.9     10.7 344.3   3:41 (180, 17)  

* 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)  
May   8  18 34.31   11 50.3   2.700   3.320   119   17.0      2.2 359.9   3:30 (180, 43)  
May  15  18 33.86   12  2.4   2.651   3.333   124   16.9      2.2 302.6   3:02 (180, 43)  

* 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)  
May   8  15 39.89   55 22.6   5.588   5.963   107   17.0     16.3 284.6   0:37 (180,  0)  
May  15  15 26.81   55 44.1   5.629   5.977   105   17.0     16.0 277.7  23:51 (180, -1)  

* 118P/Sheomaker-Levy 4


Althouhg it must be fainter than 17 mag, it unexpectedly brightened from February to March and reached to 14.5 mag. It has already begun to fade, and faded to 16 mag in mid April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8  11 29.43   10  2.2   2.260   2.913   121   17.1      2.5 117.0  20:23 (180, 45)  
May  15  11 30.95    9 50.7   2.372   2.943   114   17.4      4.7 116.9  19:57 (180, 45)  

* 117P/Helin-Roman-Alu 1


It brightened rapidly in the former half of 2004 and reached to 17.5 mag. It becomes low in the evening sky in June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8  11 34.07   12 15.8   3.378   3.994   121   17.2      2.9 232.1  20:27 (180, 43)  
May  15  11 33.35   12  0.5   3.453   3.978   114   17.2      2.6 195.2  19:59 (180, 43)  

* C/2004 DZ61 ( Catalina-LINEAR )


It becomes fainter than 18 mag in June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8  11 54.30   49 23.8   1.563   2.026   101   17.5     14.7   0.1  20:47 (180,  6)  
May  15  11 55.31   50 53.1   1.643   2.018    96   17.6     11.2  13.9  20:21 (180,  4)  

* C/2003 F1 ( LINEAR )


It will be observable around 17.5 mag until June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May   8  18  8.97   -9 52.4   3.908   4.664   133   17.6     10.2 233.6   3:05 (180, 65)  
May  15  18  4.74  -10 36.3   3.858   4.690   141   17.6     11.6 235.9   2:33 (180, 66)  

* C/2000 SV74 ( LINEAR )


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)  
May   8  13 23.05    7 10.1   6.291   7.148   145   17.7      8.2 258.1  22:16 (180, 48)  
May  15  13 19.43    6 56.8   6.399   7.193   139   17.7      7.6 254.0  21:45 (180, 48)  

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