Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2011 May 14: South)

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Updated on June 11, 2011
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Southern Hemisphere.
Azimuth indicates 0 for south, 90 for west, 180 for north, 270 for east.

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* C/2009 P1 ( Garradd )

Now it is 10.8 mag (May 14, Chris Wyatt). 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. Now it locates high in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also appearing in the morning sky in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14  23  0.84   -7 37.5   3.436   3.220    69   10.8   5:18 (237, 48)  
May  21  23  1.75   -6 22.1   3.252   3.152    75   10.5   5:23 (227, 52)  

* C/2011 C1 ( McNaught )

It approached to the sun down to 0.88 A.U. in mid April, and it brightened up to 8.6 mag (Apr. 13, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Now it is fading, but it is still bright as 10.2 mag (May 14, Chris Wyatt). It keeps 9-10 mag until mid May. It keeps observable until it fades out, although it keeps locating somewhat low in the morning sky.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14   0  8.20   11 51.8   1.366   1.001    46   11.2   5:18 (236, 23)  
May  21   0 30.99   13  9.2   1.435   1.064    47   12.0   5:23 (233, 23)  

* C/2009 F4 ( McNaught )

Now it is bright and visible visually at 13.2 mag (May 14, Chris Wyatt). It keeps bright as 13-14 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)  
May  14  13 35.89  -82 51.5   5.216   5.714   114   13.5  22:05 (  0, 42)  
May  21  12 50.48  -82 39.9   5.195   5.699   115   13.5  20:53 (  0, 42)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Now it is bright as 12.7 mag and visible visually (May 14, Juan Jose Gonzalez).

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14  10 41.65    1 38.9   5.861   6.255   108   13.8  19:15 (180, 53)  
May  21  10 42.20    1 38.8   5.968   6.256   101   13.9  18:48 (180, 53)  

* 213P/2009 B3 ( Van Ness )

First return of a new periodic comet which brightened up to 13 mag in a major outburst in 2005. When appearing in the morning sky in early April, it was unexpectedly bright as 14.3 mag (Apr. 5, Hidetaka Sato). Now it is visible visually at 13.8 mag (May 8, Alan Hale). It will be getting higher gradually after this, and will be observable in an excellent condition from summer to winter.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14  22 16.97  -12 28.0   2.045   2.136    81   13.9   5:18 (229, 59)  
May  21  22 27.43  -11  0.5   1.967   2.131    84   13.8   5:23 (219, 61)  

* C/2010 G2 ( Hill )

Now it is 13.2 mag and visible visually (May 8, Jakub Koukal). It will brighten up to 12 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). Recent brightening is somewhat slower than expected.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14  22 57.53   88 17.1   2.512   2.380    70   14.0   5:18 (181,-34)  
May  21   5 21.22   86 47.3   2.538   2.337    67   14.0  18:29 (176,-34)  

* C/2006 S3 ( LONEOS )

Now it is 14.1 mag and visible visually (May 10, Jakub Cerny). 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)  
May  14  20 17.39   -4 42.4   5.358   5.729   106   14.3   4:53 (180, 60)  
May  21  20 12.69   -4 40.3   5.216   5.707   114   14.3   4:21 (180, 60)  

* (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 13.8 mag (Apr. 5, Juan Jose Gonzalez).

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14   9 22.56   30 49.3   2.843   2.864    80   14.5  18:33 (171, 24)  
May  21   9 29.36   29 52.6   2.921   2.852    76   14.5  18:29 (167, 24)  

* 9P/Tempel 1

Now it is 14.9 mag (Apr. 29, Artyom Novichonok). It will be fading after this. The condition in this apparition is bad. It locates high 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)  
May  14  23 17.74  -14 21.4   2.036   1.910    68   14.6   5:18 (249, 50)  
May  21  23 29.90  -13 38.1   2.006   1.948    72   14.8   5:23 (243, 53)  

* 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 13.5 mag and visible visually (May 7, Jakub Cerny). 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)  
May  14  10 29.96    7 53.0   1.829   2.287   103   14.9  19:03 (180, 47)  
May  21  10 27.72    8  7.8   1.832   2.187    96   14.7  18:33 (180, 47)  

* 249P/2011 A4 ( LINEAR )

Tiny short periodic comet. Now it locates very close to the Sun, only 0.5 A.U. from the Sun. It was expected to be 17 mag at best originally, because its brightness behaves similar to an asteroid. But actually, it became so bright as 12.8 mag (Apr. 15, Chris Wyatt). It was 9 mag in the STEREO satellite images in early April. However, it will never be observable again in this apparition.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14   2 22.51   16 45.7   1.709   0.769    14   14.8   5:18 (253, -5)  
May  21   2 51.72   18 34.6   1.820   0.870    13   15.8   5:23 (251, -6)  

* C/2009 Y1 ( Catalina )

It reached up to 13.3 mag, much brighter than originally expected, and visible visually (Jan. 24, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Now it is fading slowly, but still bright as 14.2 mag (May 3, Hiroshi Abe). It will be higher after this, and observable at 15 mag in good condition until autumn.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14  23 46.98   14 31.4   3.277   2.760    51   14.9   5:18 (230, 24)  
May  21  23 50.74   13 39.9   3.209   2.791    57   14.9   5:23 (224, 29)  

* 62P/Tsuchinshan 1

It will be 12-13 mag in June and July. However, it is not observable at all due to the bad condition in this apparition.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14   4 44.71   21 50.8   2.392   1.482    19   16.2  18:33 (114, -4)  
May  21   5  7.52   22 55.6   2.380   1.456    18   15.3  18:29 (115, -4)  

* 240P/2010 P1 ( NEAT )

It reached up to 14.0 mag and became visible visually in December (Dec. 17, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Then it has been fading, and faded down to 18.3 mag on Mar. 31 (Yasukazu Ikari). However, it brightened up to 16 mag in outburst on Apr. 5. Then it keeps brightening and reached up to 14.7 mag now (May 6, Hidetaka Sato). It locates low in the Southern Hemisphere. It will be getting lower gradually after this in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14   8  8.07   39 33.0   2.974   2.697    64   15.3  18:33 (158, 11)  
May  21   8 20.80   38 46.9   3.076   2.727    60   15.6  18:29 (156, 11)  

* C/2010 B1 ( Cardinal )

It reached up to 13.5 mag and visible visually in winter (Feb. 4, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Now it is fading, but still bright as 15.3 mag (Apr. 23, Artyom Novichonok). In the Southern Hemisphere, it becomes low temporarily in May and June, but it keeps observable for a long time. It will never be observable again in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14   4 57.35  -20 52.8   3.711   3.093    45   15.7  18:33 ( 80, 23)  
May  21   5  2.63  -21 42.4   3.741   3.115    45   15.8  18:29 ( 77, 20)  

* C/2011 A3 ( Gibbs )

Now it is 15.3 mag (May 12, Hidetaka Sato). 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)  
May  14  13 11.77   27 41.5   2.638   3.313   124   15.8  21:44 (180, 27)  
May  21  13  9.67   27 20.6   2.651   3.263   118   15.8  21:14 (180, 28)  

* 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 13.9 mag (Mar. 29, Artyom Novichonok). 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)  
May  14  17 31.85  -64 21.6   6.053   6.737   129   15.9   2:09 (  0, 61)  
May  21  17 19.20  -64 52.8   6.057   6.785   132   16.0   1:28 (  0, 60)  

* C/2008 FK75 ( Lemmon-Siding Spring )

Now it is 15.6 mag (May 8, Tzec Maun Observatory). 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)  
May  14  22 31.07   45 31.0   5.209   4.867    64   16.0   5:18 (199,  6)  
May  21  22 36.72   46 26.8   5.184   4.888    67   16.0   5:23 (194,  6)  

* 123P/West-Hartley

Now it is 16.0 mag (Apr. 26, Artyom Novichonok). 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)  
May  14   7 20.22   35  2.3   2.582   2.167    55   16.0  18:33 (148, 11)  
May  21   7 36.72   34 16.4   2.629   2.158    51   16.0  18:29 (146, 11)  

* 65P/Gunn

It became bright as 12 mag in 2010. Appearing in the morning sky in the Southern Hemisphere. It will be observable also in the Northern Hemisphere in mid June.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14   1 11.27   -0 36.5   4.170   3.420    37   16.3   5:18 (257, 19)  
May  21   1 19.07    0  8.4   4.130   3.441    41   16.3   5:23 (252, 23)  

* 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)  
May  14  18 22.32  -34 56.2   2.904   3.705   136   16.5   2:58 (180, 90)  
May  21  18 15.89  -36 43.6   2.784   3.651   143   16.3   2:24 (  0, 88)  

* 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. It has already faded down to 14.9 mag (Apr. 23, Artyom Novichonok). It will be getting lower after this, and will be unobservable in June.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14   8 44.79    5 13.9   2.493   2.518    79   16.5  18:33 (153, 46)  
May  21   8 54.47    5  7.3   2.635   2.574    75   16.7  18:29 (148, 45)  

* C/2005 L3 ( McNaught )

It had been bright as 13-14 mag for a long time from 2007 to 2009. Now it is fading slowly, but it is still bright as 16.1 mag (Apr. 28, Artyom Novichonok). 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)  
May  14  10 36.48   41 23.7   9.903   9.975    91   16.5  19:09 (180, 14)  
May  21  10 34.67   41  2.6  10.045  10.010    85   16.5  18:40 (180, 14)  

* 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3

Now it is 16.4 mag (May 14, Hidetaka Sato). 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)  
May  14   8 59.50   28 56.7   2.145   2.148    76   16.8  18:33 (165, 25)  
May  21   9  6.64   28  0.2   2.169   2.087    71   16.7  18:29 (161, 25)  

* C/2011 F1 ( LINEAR )

It is expected to be bright as 9 mag from 2012 to 2013. Now it is 16.6 mag (Apr. 28, P. Dupouy). In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition for a long time until 2012 autumn when the comet brightens up to 10 mag. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is hardly observble before the perihelion passage. But it becomes observable in good condition since 2013 after the perihelion passage.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14  11 33.19   65  1.9   6.524   6.532    86   16.7  20:06 (180,-10)  
May  21  11 31.34   64 17.6   6.532   6.476    82   16.7  19:37 (180, -9)  

* 115P/Maury

Now it is 17.5 mag (May 2, C. Rinner, F. Kugel). It will brighten up to 16 mag from summer to autumn, and will be observable in good condition.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14  16 35.94   -3 50.1   1.419   2.380   156   16.9   1:12 (180, 59)  
May  21  16 32.31   -3  0.5   1.375   2.352   159   16.8   0:41 (180, 58)  

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh

Now it is 17.0 mag (May 13, J. F. Soulier). 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)  
May  14  17 33.97  -23 14.7   3.210   4.108   148   16.8   2:10 (180, 78)  
May  21  17 30.24  -23 19.6   3.170   4.116   156   16.8   1:39 (180, 78)  

* 48P/Johnson

Now it is 17.3 mag (May 14, Ken-ichi Kadota). It will brighten rapidly, and will be observable at 15 mag in good condition from July to October. It locates somewhat low in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14  20 25.59  -14 36.4   1.985   2.483   107   17.2   5:01 (180, 70)  
May  21  20 31.19  -14 41.1   1.889   2.467   112   17.0   4:39 (180, 70)  

* 71P/Clark

Now it is 17.0 mag (Apr. 10, E. Bryssinck). It will brighten up to 13 mag in next winter. But the condition of this apparition is bad, and it will not be observable around the perihelion passage. It will be observable until July when it brightens up to 16 mag in the Northern Hemisphere, or until September when it brightens up to 15 mag in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14  10 21.68   20 58.8   2.114   2.448    96   17.2  18:55 (180, 34)  
May  21  10 25.42   20  3.7   2.164   2.409    91   17.1  18:31 (180, 35)  

* C/2009 UG89 ( Lemmon )

Now it is 16.9 mag (Apr. 27, Artyom 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)  
May  14  16 45.92   40 44.3   3.571   4.137   117   17.1   1:22 (180, 14)  
May  21  16 29.67   41 42.7   3.591   4.156   117   17.2   0:39 (180, 13)  

* C/2011 G1 ( McNaught )

Now it is 17.3 mag (May 3, C. Rinner, F. Kugel). It will be observable in good condition at 17.5 mag in 2011 spring in the Southern Hemisphere, and at 17 mag in next winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14  11 59.11  -22 43.9   1.801   2.595   132   17.4  20:30 (180, 78)  
May  21  11 40.44  -18 47.4   1.871   2.552   121   17.4  19:45 (180, 74)  

* 130P/McNaught-Hughes

Now it is 17.1 mag (May 8, Hidetaka Sato). It will be observable at 17 mag in good condition from summer to autumn.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14  22  0.17  -16 16.5   1.933   2.122    86   17.8   5:18 (227, 65)  
May  21  22 11.99  -15 43.6   1.854   2.114    90   17.7   5:23 (217, 67)  

* C/2007 VO53 ( Spacewatch )

Now it is 17.6 mag (Apr. 27, Artyom Novichonok). 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)  
May  14  16 50.97   48 10.2   5.236   5.669   110   17.7   1:27 (180,  7)  
May  21  16 42.52   47 51.4   5.254   5.696   111   17.8   0:51 (180,  7)  

* 43P/Wolf-Harrington

It was observed as bright as 13.0 mag in last autumn (Sept. 25, Ken-ichi Kadota). Now it is fading. It has already faded down to 16.8 mag (Apr. 26, Artyom Novichonok). It will be fainter than 18 mag in May.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  14  12 20.74  -19 14.5   2.349   3.168   137   17.9  20:53 (180, 74)  
May  21  12 19.81  -18 19.2   2.455   3.208   130   18.1  20:25 (180, 73)  

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