Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2011 Mar. 19: North)

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Updated on March 20, 2011
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Northern Hemisphere.
Azimuth indicates 0 for south, 90 for west, 180 for north, 270 for east.

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* C/2011 C1 ( McNaught )

Brightened very rapidly. Now it is so bright as 10.2 mag and visible visually (Mar. 18, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Diffuse object, with a large coma of 4.5 arcmin. It approaches to the sun down to 0.88 A.U. in mid April, and it keeps 10-11 mag until mid May. It keeps observable until it fades out, although it keeps locating somewhat low in the morning sky. However, because it is a tiny comet, it may fade out very rapidly.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  19 30.91   -9 38.5   0.914   1.036    65   11.1   4:42 (307, 28)  
Mar. 26  20 15.49   -6 12.3   0.924   0.977    61   10.6   4:31 (299, 25)  

* C/2009 P1 ( Garradd )

Already very bright, much brighter than expected, as 10.5 mag (Jan. 3, Alexandre Amorim). It is expected to keep so bright as 6-8 mag for a long time from 2011 to 2012, and to be observable in good condition in the Northern Hemisphere. It is appearing in the morning sky in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will be observable in late April.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  22 37.19  -16 32.8   4.649   3.764    24   12.2   4:42 (282,-12)  
Mar. 26  22 41.04  -15 29.8   4.531   3.696    29   12.0   4:31 (283, -8)  

* 9P/Tempel 1

Now it is 14.5 mag (Mar. 4, A. Novichonok and D. Chestnov). It will be fading after this. The condition in this apparition is bad. It will be getting higher gradually after this in the Southern Hemisphere, however, it keeps extremely low until May in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  21  8.83  -21 37.8   2.192   1.644    44   13.1   4:42 (299,  2)  
Mar. 26  21 27.97  -20 44.8   2.179   1.672    47   13.3   4:31 (298,  3)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Now it is 12.2 mag and visible visually (Mar. 7, Juan Jose Gonzalez).

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  10 53.62    0 16.6   5.283   6.251   165   13.6  23:06 (  0, 55)  
Mar. 26  10 50.81    0 32.1   5.315   6.252   158   13.6  22:36 (  0, 55)  

* (596) Scheila

Big asteroid discovered in 1906. It suddenly showed the cometary activity on Dec. 11, probably due to an impact of a small object. It was very bright as 11.5 mag visually (Dec. 17, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It had a dust coma still on Jan. 9 (Joseph Brimacombe). Now it is stellar at 13.5 mag (Mar. 7, Juan Jose Gonzalez).

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19   9  3.33   36 13.3   2.246   2.957   127   13.9  21:17 (180, 89)  
Mar. 26   9  1.41   35 51.3   2.308   2.946   120   14.0  20:47 (180, 89)  

* C/2010 G2 ( Hill )

Now it is 14.3 mag, and already visible visually (Mar. 7, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It will brighten up to 11.5 mag in autumn. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable for a long time until 2012 spring. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is not observable until November. A small outburst occured and it brightened by 2 mag on 2010 Aug. 31 (Bernhard Haeusler).

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  18 12.03   54  0.6   2.635   2.780    87   14.0   4:42 (216, 64)  
Mar. 26  18 21.23   58 21.7   2.574   2.727    87   13.9   4:31 (207, 62)  

* 103P/Hartley 2

It approached to the earth down to 0.12 A.U. and brightened up to 4.6 mag in October (Oct. 18, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It was very large, double of the full moon, and very bright, visible with naked eyes. Now it is fading, but still bright as 12.5 mag (Mar. 7, Juan Jose Gonzalez). After this, it keeps observable for a long time until June when it fades down to 17 mag.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19   7 33.26    1 53.4   1.409   2.043   115   14.3  19:47 (  0, 57)  
Mar. 26   7 41.03    2 49.0   1.533   2.104   110   14.7  19:40 (  6, 58)  

* C/2009 F4 ( McNaught )

Now it is 13.7 mag (Mar. 7, Hidetaka Sato). It can be visible visually. It keeps bright as 14-15 mag for a long time after this until 2013. It is not observable in the Northern Hemisphere, but it is observable in good condition in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  16 38.30  -73 50.1   5.690   5.849    94   14.4   4:42 (359,-19)  
Mar. 26  16 35.19  -75 23.5   5.605   5.830    98   14.4   4:25 (  0,-20)  

* C/2009 Y1 ( Catalina )

Now it is 13.3 mag, much brighter than originally expected and visible visually (Jan. 24, Juan Jose Gonzalez). In the Southern Hemisphere, it will be unobservable until late April. In the Northern Hemisphere, the altitude will be lower than 10 degree from February to April.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  22 57.85   20 15.0   3.444   2.575    24   14.5   4:42 (249,  5)  
Mar. 26  23  5.59   19 28.7   3.462   2.592    24   14.6   4:31 (251,  7)  

* C/2006 S3 ( LONEOS )

It has been bright as 14.5 mag and visible visually already in last autumn (Sept. 30, Alan Hale). It is appearing in the morning sky in the Northern Hemisphere. It will be observable in late March also in the Southern Hemisphere. It will be observable at 13-14 mag for a long time from 2011 to 2012.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  20 30.44   -5 58.0   6.506   5.924    50   14.9   4:42 (292, 19)  
Mar. 26  20 30.72   -5 45.8   6.379   5.899    57   14.8   4:31 (295, 23)  

* C/2010 B1 ( Cardinal )

Now it is 13.5 mag and visible visually (Feb. 4, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It has a long tail by CCD observations. It will be unobservable soon in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, it becomes low temporarily in May and June, but it keeps observable for a long time.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19   4 31.54  -17  9.8   3.149   2.969    70   15.2  19:34 ( 45, 24)  
Mar. 26   4 32.44  -17 27.3   3.248   2.979    65   15.3  19:40 ( 51, 19)  

* C/2006 W3 ( Christensen )

It reached up to 7.7 mag in 2009 summer (2009 Aug. 13, Chris Wyatt). Now it is fading, but still bright as 13.7 mag (Feb. 7, A. Novichonok, D. Chestnov). It will never be observable again in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition until 2011 autumn when it becomes fainter than 18 mag.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  18 23.70  -57 16.0   6.360   6.352    85   15.6   4:42 (344, -6)  
Mar. 26  18 21.94  -58 13.3   6.303   6.400    91   15.6   4:31 (347, -6)  

* C/2008 FK75 ( Lemmon-Siding Spring )

Now it is 16.2 mag (Mar. 7, J. Soulier, J. F. Soulier). It will be fading very slowly after this. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable for a long time until 2012 spring when it fades down to 17-18 mag. It will not be observable in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  21 29.34   38  7.6   5.280   4.717    50   15.8   4:42 (243, 31)  
Mar. 26  21 38.34   38 59.4   5.284   4.734    51   15.9   4:31 (242, 33)  

* C/2010 FB87 ( WISE-Garradd )

Now it is 14.2 mag (Feb. 7, Artyom Novichonok), much brighter than originally expected. It will be fading after this. It keeps observable in good condition in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, it becomes observable in the evening low sky only in March and April.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19   5 43.15  -35  5.9   3.015   3.136    87   16.0  19:34 ( 21, 17)  
Mar. 26   5 43.82  -31 32.4   3.115   3.166    83   16.2  19:40 ( 29, 17)  

* C/2010 X1 ( Elenin )

It will approach to the sun down to 0.5 A.U. in September, and it is expected to brighten up to 6 mag. Now it is 15.7 mag (Mar. 12, P. C. Sherrod). It will be brightening gradually. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable until early September when it becomes 7 mag. In the Northern Hemisphere, it becomes unobservable in August. But after appearing in the morning sky in October, it becomes observable in the excellent condition at midnight.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  11 28.57    1 52.5   2.051   3.043   173   16.4  23:41 (  0, 57)  
Mar. 26  11 19.60    2 47.4   1.979   2.953   164   16.2  23:04 (  0, 58)  

* 123P/West-Hartley

Now it is 16.2 mag (Mar. 8, E. Bryssinck). It keeps 16 mag for a while. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will be getting lower gradually after this, and it will be unobservable in July . In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps locating low.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19   5 25.58   37 54.8   2.143   2.287    85   16.3  19:34 (106, 67)  
Mar. 26   5 37.16   37 46.9   2.203   2.268    80   16.2  19:40 (106, 63)  

* C/2011 A3 ( Gibbs )

Now it is 16.5 mag (Mar. 1, P. C. Sherrod). It keeps 15 mag from 2011 summer to 2012 summer. But it is not observable around the perihelion. It is observable in good condition in the Northern Hemisphere in 2011, and in the Southern Hemisphere in 2012.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  13 38.56   23 49.5   2.868   3.731   145   16.5   1:55 (  0, 79)  
Mar. 26  13 36.05   24 48.3   2.799   3.678   147   16.4   1:25 (  0, 80)  

* 43P/Wolf-Harrington

Now it is 17.3 mag (Mar. 8, P. Dupouy). It keeps observable after this while fading gradually.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  13  1.55  -27 31.3   1.936   2.824   147   16.6   1:18 (  0, 27)  
Mar. 26  12 54.83  -26 48.3   1.941   2.868   153   16.7   0:44 (  0, 28)  

* C/2005 L3 ( McNaught )

It had been bright as 13-14 mag for a long time from 2007 to 2009. Now it is fading, but it is still bright as 14.4 mag and visible visually (Feb. 7, Sandor Szabo). It is observable in good condition in the Northern Hemisphere. It locates low in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  11  7.11   42 33.1   8.937   9.689   137   16.9  23:20 (180, 82)  
Mar. 26  11  1.99   42 37.9   9.026   9.725   132   16.9  22:47 (180, 82)  

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh

Now it is 17.7 mag (Mar. 7, W. Hasubick). It was observed around 16 mag in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, it keeps observable at 17 mag from spring to autumn. It locates somewhat low in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  17 35.10  -22 27.1   3.850   4.037    93   17.0   4:42 (341, 30)  
Mar. 26  17 37.92  -22 33.6   3.753   4.046    99   17.0   4:31 (345, 31)  

* C/2009 UG89 ( Lemmon )

Now it is 17.0 mag (Feb. 4, D. Chestnov and A. Novichonok). In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable at 17 mag in good condition until summer. It locates low in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  18  7.07   25 58.9   3.939   4.013    87   17.0   4:42 (286, 66)  
Mar. 26  18  2.31   27 58.3   3.857   4.026    92   17.0   4:31 (287, 72)  

* 240P/2010 P1 ( NEAT )

It reached up to 14.0 mag and became visible visually in December (Dec. 17, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It keeps locating high in the Northern Hemisphere after this. But it will be fading. It has already faded down to 16.6 mag (Mar. 1, Tzec Maun Observatory). It will be fainter than 18 mag in April. It locates low in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19   6 36.02   43 47.0   2.124   2.475    98   17.3  19:34 (140, 78)  
Mar. 26   6 45.53   43 27.1   2.230   2.501    93   17.5  19:40 (128, 74)  

* C/2009 K3 ( Beshore )

It was observed only during 3 days in 2009 May, then it has been lost. The ephemeris says that it passes the perihelion in 2011 January and it will be observable at 17 mag. But actually, it will not be found.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19   5 26.58  -10  4.4   3.933   3.947    83   17.4  19:34 ( 36, 38)  
Mar. 26   5 22.96   -9  6.3   4.063   3.957    76   17.5  19:40 ( 46, 33)  

* 2008 YB3

Large Centaur-type asteroid. Now it is 17.0 mag (Jan. 7, Tzec Maun Observatory). It keeps observable at 17-18 mag for a long time until 2013.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19   7 14.56   -7  7.5   6.074   6.487   110   17.6  19:34 (  2, 48)  
Mar. 26   7 13.12   -6  2.2   6.174   6.487   103   17.6  19:40 ( 15, 48)  

* C/2007 VO53 ( Spacewatch )

Now it is 17.3 mag (Feb. 21, Ken-ichi Kadota). It is fading slowly. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition until 2011 summer. It is not observable in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  17 37.20   45 59.0   5.314   5.461    93   17.6   4:42 (226, 73)  
Mar. 26  17 34.53   46 30.9   5.291   5.486    96   17.6   4:31 (216, 75)  

* C/2010 M1 ( Gibbs )

It is expected to keep 14-15 mag for a long time from 2011 summer to 2012 summer. The condition is good in the Southern Hemisphere, and it keeps observable for a long time. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is observable in the low sky in 2011 spring. But after that, it is not observable until 2012 August. However, this comet was observed only during two days in 2010 June. So the orbital elements are extremely uncertain.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  18 27.33  -24 47.7   4.173   4.148    81   17.8   4:42 (330, 24)  
Mar. 26  18 29.94  -25 40.9   4.002   4.092    88   17.6   4:31 (333, 24)  

* 203P/2008 R4 ( Korlevic )

Now it is 17.6 mag (Feb. 24, La Sagra). It tends to be brightest after the perihelion passage. At the discovery in 1999, it became brightest one year after the perihelion passage. At this time, it became brightest three months after the perihelion passage, then it is fading. It keeps observable in good condition at 18 mag until may.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19   9 59.28    9 20.1   2.896   3.795   150   17.6  22:12 (  0, 64)  
Mar. 26   9 56.63    9 35.0   2.968   3.812   143   17.7  21:42 (  0, 65)  

* P/2011 A2 ( Scotti )

Now it is 16.7 mag (Feb. 16, L. Elenin and A. Novichonok). Diffuse object, but the total magnitude is bright. It keeps 17-18 mag until April.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  14 43.55  -10 27.4   0.907   1.763   135   17.8   3:00 (  0, 45)  
Mar. 26  14 41.81  -10 35.8   0.893   1.794   143   17.8   2:31 (  0, 44)  

* 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3

Now it is 17.8 mag (Mar. 5, C. Rinner, F. Kugel). It brightens up to 12 mag in autumn. But the condition is bad. In the Northern Hemisphere, the altitude will be lower than 20 degree in June when it brightens up to 15 mag, then it will be unobservable in August. After the perihelion passage, it is only observable from December to February in the evening very low sky. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable for a long time, although it keeps locating extremely low.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19   8 53.92   33 20.7   1.888   2.612   127   18.0  21:07 (  0, 88)  
Mar. 26   8 48.86   33 12.1   1.913   2.557   119   17.8  20:34 (  0, 88)  

* 31P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 2

Now it is 17.4 mag (Feb. 24, La Sagra). It was observed at 18 mag in winter between 2009 and 2010. It will be observable again at 18 mag in good condition from winter to spring in 2011.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 19  10 30.17   14 14.4   2.562   3.493   155   17.9  22:43 (  0, 69)  
Mar. 26  10 26.94   14 33.2   2.613   3.499   148   17.9  22:12 (  0, 70)  

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