Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2012 May 5: South)

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Updated on May 6, 2012
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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 8.4 mag (Apr. 27, Yoshimi Nagai). Fading slowly. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will be unobservable at 10 mag in June. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is observable in the evening low sky from April to June.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5   8 49.60   36  7.4   2.292   2.348    80    8.9  18:39 (171, 18)  
May  12   8 50.05   33  7.4   2.472   2.414    74    9.2  18:34 (165, 20)  

* (596) Scheila

Big asteroid discovered in 1906. It suddenly showed the cometary activity on Dec. 11, 2010, probably due to an impact of a small object. It was very bright as 11.5 mag visually (Dec. 17, 2010, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It has already turned to be stellar.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  16 55.65  -19 18.9   1.521   2.446   149   12.5   2:04 (180, 74)  
May  12  16 50.93  -19 54.7   1.481   2.445   157   12.3   1:32 (180, 75)  

* C/2011 F1 ( LINEAR )

Already so bright as 11.6 mag and visible visually (Apr. 21, Carlos Labordena). It is expected to be bright as 9 mag from 2012 to 2013. 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   5  14 57.82   56 38.1   3.016   3.450   107   12.8   0:07 (180, -2)  
May  12  14 47.80   56  9.1   2.974   3.387   105   12.7  23:24 (180, -1)  

* C/2011 UF305 ( LINEAR )

It brightened much faster than expected. It is so bright as 11.8 mag and visible visually (Apr. 22, Uwe Pilz). In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable at 12-14 mag in good condition until early 2013. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is not observable until late 2012.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  21 51.84   73 34.5   2.468   2.325    70   13.5   5:13 (188,-20)  
May  12  22 27.39   78 21.7   2.460   2.295    68   13.4   5:17 (186,-24)  

* C/2006 S3 ( LONEOS )

Now it is bright as 13.4 mag (Mar. 27, Jakub Cerny). It keeps 13-14 mag and observable in good condition until September.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  17 28.06  -13  6.0   4.305   5.133   141   13.5   2:37 (180, 68)  
May  12  17 18.54  -12 58.4   4.234   5.135   150   13.5   2:00 (180, 68)  

* C/2011 R1 ( McNaught )

Now it is 14.3 mag (Mar 13, Jakub Cerny). It is already unobservable in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, it locates extremely low now. But it will be getting higher gradually after May. It is expected to be observable at 11-13 mag for a long time from 2012 summer to 2013 summer. It will be observable in excellent condition in the Southern Hemisphere. But it is not observable until 2013 January in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5   2  9.66  -34 39.0   3.355   2.843    51   13.7   5:13 (300, 18)  
May  12   2 18.39  -35 42.2   3.235   2.791    55   13.5   5:17 (298, 23)  

* C/2011 L4 ( PanSTARRS )

It is expected to be a great comet of -1 mag in 2013 spring. Now it is bright as 13.7 mag (May 2, K. Hills). Brightening faster than originally expected. In 2012, it keeps observable until summer while brightening gradually. It locates somewhat low in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  16 37.46  -25 38.0   3.827   4.748   153   13.7   1:46 (180, 81)  
May  12  16 30.47  -25 46.0   3.704   4.672   161   13.5   1:12 (180, 81)  

* C/2009 F4 ( McNaught )

Now it is bright as 12.8 mag and visible visually (Mar. 14, John Drummond). 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   5   3 40.67  -57 19.3   5.718   5.532    74   13.6  18:39 ( 39, 30)  
May  12   3 48.60  -56 20.8   5.719   5.541    74   13.6  18:34 ( 39, 28)  

* 78P/Gehrels 2

Now it is 12.2 mag (Mar. 25, Jakub Koukal). It is already low in the evening. It will be unobservable soon.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5   4 54.34   18 43.4   3.024   2.208    29   13.6  18:39 (117,  5)  
May  12   5 10.13   19  1.9   3.084   2.231    26   13.7  18:34 (116,  4)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Another small outburst occured on May 1 and it was observed at 14.5 mag (Jean-Francois Soulier).

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  12  8.32  -11  4.4   5.445   6.258   140   13.7  21:13 (180, 66)  
May  12  12  6.77  -10 49.0   5.517   6.258   133   13.7  20:44 (180, 66)  

* 21P/Giacobini-Zinner

It brightened up to 9 mag in January and February in the evening low sky. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is observable in the evening extremely low sky in April and May. 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   5   4 29.00    2 42.6   2.334   1.520    28   13.9  18:39 (100, 10)  
May  12   4 50.46    2 50.9   2.407   1.583    27   14.3  18:34 (100, 10)  

* C/2011 Q2 ( McNaught )

It was observed at 12.5 mag on Apr. 1, as bright as expected (Michael Jager). Now it is 14.0 mag (Apr. 26, Michael Jager). In the Northern Hemisphere, it locates extremely low in the morning until June. It will be observable at high location after summer. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will never be observable again.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5   1 50.65   36 58.7   2.898   2.023    24   14.1   5:13 (237,-18)  
May  12   2  9.82   38 26.5   2.965   2.093    24   14.3   5:17 (234,-16)  

* C/2010 S1 ( LINEAR )

Now it is visible visually at 13.9 mag (Mar. 26, Jakub Cerny). It is expected to be 13 mag and will be observable in good condition in 2013. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will be getting higher gradually in the morning sky, and keeps observable for a long time. It is not observable in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  23 28.79   50 56.8   7.038   6.477    52   14.4   5:13 (209, -7)  
May  12  23 29.07   51 31.1   6.977   6.457    55   14.4   5:17 (205, -4)  

* 58P/Jackson-Neujmin

This comet brightened up to 10 mag in outburst in 1995, however, it became lost after that. The condition of this apparition is bad. It is not observable around the perihelion passage. Maybe it can be recovered after summer when it appears in the morning sky.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5   1 59.69    6 44.3   2.353   1.406    15   14.8   5:13 (264, -3)  
May  12   2 22.36    8  7.1   2.365   1.426    16   14.5   5:17 (261, -2)  

* C/2011 A3 ( Gibbs )

Now it is 14.3 mag (Mar. 27, Jakub Cerny). After this, it will be observable in good condition in the Southern Hemisphere while fading gradually. It will locate somewhat low in the Northern Hemisphere. In 2011, some visual observers reported it was very bright as 10-12 mag.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  22 26.47  -13 56.5   2.965   2.813    71   14.6   5:13 (245, 52)  
May  12  22 35.25  -14  4.4   2.919   2.855    76   14.7   5:17 (239, 56)  

* (3200) Phaethon

It will pass the perihelion on May 2. But it is not observable when it becomes bright at this apparition.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5   2  9.84   14 38.3   0.931   0.180     9   14.6   5:13 (259, -9)  
May  12   1 57.89   19 17.5   1.162   0.382    18   14.6   5:17 (249, -3)  

* 246P/2010 V2 ( NEAT )

Now it is so bright as 12.3 mag and visible visually (Mar. 22, Carlos Labordena). Although it was extremely faint as 20.5 mag at the recovery in 2010 autumn, it brightened rapidly. It will keep 12-14 mag and observable in good condition for a long time from 2012 to 2013. But it locates somewhat low in the Northern Hemisphere in 2013.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  12 58.31   14 20.7   2.374   3.204   138   14.7  22:03 (180, 41)  
May  12  12 55.03   13 57.1   2.417   3.189   132   14.8  21:32 (180, 41)  

* 71P/Clark

It brightened up to 17.1 mag in late June in 2011 (June 24, J. F. Hernandez). The condition of this apparition is bad, and it was not observable around the perihelion passage. It is appearing in the morning sky in the Southern Hemisphere, but it locates extremely low. It will not be observable until June in the Northern Hemisphere, when the comet will be 15.5 mag.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5   0 14.74   -6 14.5   2.630   2.035    44   14.8   5:13 (259, 26)  
May  12   0 27.43   -4 59.3   2.614   2.072    47   14.9   5:17 (254, 29)  

* C/2011 U3 ( PanSTARRS )

It will brighten up to 14 mag from May to July. It has not been observed since late January, but it must be already bright at 15 mag. In the Southern Hemisphere, it has been extremely low, but it will be getting higher gradually after this, and will be observable in good condition. It will be hardly observable in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5   2 25.98  -22  0.2   1.784   1.180    38   15.5   5:13 (291,  8)  
May  12   2 39.58  -24 36.9   1.628   1.137    43   15.1   5:17 (291, 13)  

* C/2011 O1 ( LINEAR )

Now it is 16.0 mag (Mar. 26, Jakub Cerny). In the Southern Hemisphere, it will be observable at 15-16 mag in good condition for a long time until 2013 summer. It is not observable at all in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  20 32.98  -56 47.3   3.604   3.997   105   15.3   5:13 (350, 68)  
May  12  20 37.61  -59  1.3   3.517   3.984   110   15.2   5:17 (  0, 66)  

* 96P/Machholz 1

Now it is 18.2 mag (Apr. 20, Pierre Auger Observatory). It will brighten rapidly after this. It will approach to the sun down to 0.12 A.U. on July 14. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition except for mid July only, in the morning sky before the perihelion passage, and in the evening sky after the perihelion passage. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is not observable before the perihelion passage. But it will appear in the evening sky at 8 mag in late July. Then it keeps observable while fading rapidly in the evening low sky.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  23 51.04  -36 59.8   1.736   1.645    67   16.5   5:13 (290, 45)  
May  12   0 17.94  -36 22.0   1.576   1.536    68   15.9   5:17 (288, 46)  

* C/2012 CH17 ( MOSS )

Now it is 16.6 mag (Apr. 27, S. Shurpakov). It will brighten up to 13.5 mag from summer to autumn. It keeps observable for a long time until December. In the Northern Hemisphere, it locates high until spring. But after that, it keeps locating low in the evening. In the Southern Henmisphere, it keeps locating low all through the time.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  10 47.92   36 21.3   1.999   2.427   102   16.4  19:53 (180, 19)  
May  12  10 48.66   35 58.8   2.008   2.352    96   16.2  19:27 (180, 19)  

* 60P/Tsuchinshan 2

Now it is 16.8 mag (Apr. 15, Toshiyuki Takahashi). It brightened rapidly as expected. It keeps 16.5 mag from spring to summer. However, it locates extremely low in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is getting lower gradually in the evening sky, and will be unobservable in June.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5   6  7.83   21 59.9   2.129   1.620    47   16.6  18:39 (132, 15)  
May  12   6 29.09   21 42.0   2.161   1.618    45   16.5  18:34 (131, 15)  

* C/2011 J2 ( LINEAR )

Now it is 16.9 mag (Apr. 14, Yasukazu Ikari). It is expected to keep 13 mag and observable in good condition in the Northern Hemisphere for a long time from 2013 to 2014. It keeps observable at 17-18 mag in good condition until June.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  10 27.00   11  2.8   5.813   6.226   109   16.8  19:32 (180, 44)  
May  12  10 25.02   11 39.4   5.886   6.180   102   16.8  19:03 (180, 43)  

* C/2010 R1 ( LINEAR )

Now it is 16.7 mag (Apr. 14, Yasukazu Ikari). It keeps observable at 17 mag for a long time from 2011 to 2013. In 2012, it keeps observable in good condition until early September.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  15 36.38    6 59.3   4.699   5.622   153   16.9   0:45 (180, 48)  
May  12  15 27.23    7 28.6   4.695   5.622   154   16.9   0:09 (180, 48)  

* C/2012 A2 ( LINEAR )

Now it is 16.7 mag (Apr. 21, Catalina Sky Survey). In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable at 16-17 mag in good condition for a long time from 2012 to 2013. It is not observable in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5   9 18.12   65  8.6   3.988   3.910    78   16.9  18:39 (178,-10)  
May  12   9  9.35   64 36.2   4.059   3.884    72   16.9  18:34 (175,-10)  

* 105P/Singer Brewster

It has not been observed since 2011 March. Juro Kobayashi detected a possible image of this comet at around 19 mag on Apr. 28. It is predicted to brighten up to 17 mag and will be observable in good condition from spring to summer. But actually, it seems much fainter than expected.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  19 27.77   -9 29.3   1.521   2.117   112   17.2   4:35 (180, 64)  
May  12  19 32.19   -8 37.1   1.469   2.131   117   17.1   4:12 (180, 64)  

* 152P/Helin-Lawrence

Now it is 17.5 mag (Apr. 19, C. Bell). It tends to brighten after the perihelion passage. It keeps observable at 17 mag from 2012 to 2013. It locates somewhat low in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  16 41.58  -15 15.4   2.204   3.136   152   17.2   1:50 (180, 70)  
May  12  16 37.91  -15 19.3   2.163   3.132   160   17.1   1:19 (180, 70)  

* P/2005 K3 ( McNaught )

First return of a new periodic comet which brightened up to 14 mag in 2005. It is expected to brighten up to 13 mag from summer to autumn, and will be observable in excellent condition. It locates high in the Southern Hemisphere. It is predicted to be already 18 mag. But it has not been recovered yet. Martin Masek reported it was fainter than 19.5 mag on Apr. 17.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  22 16.99  -24 58.7   1.963   2.013    78   17.7   5:13 (259, 60)  
May  12  22 32.06  -23 36.1   1.857   1.969    80   17.5   5:17 (253, 63)  

* C/2005 L3 ( McNaught )

It brightened up to 13-14 mag and became visible visually from 2007 to 2009. Now it is fading. But it is still bright as 16.9 mag (Mar. 19, V. Gerke, S. Plaksa, A. Novichonok). In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in excellent condition until early summer in 2012. In the Southern Hemisphere, it locates extremely low only.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5   9 49.84   39 29.7  11.750  11.810    90   17.5  18:55 (180, 16)  
May  12   9 48.71   39 13.2  11.897  11.846    84   17.6  18:34 (179, 16)  

* C/2012 BJ98

Brightening faster than expected. Now it is 17.5 mag (Apr. 12, Michael Jager). It will be getting lower in the evening after this. It keeps observable at 17 mag until mid June in the Northern Hemisphere, or until mid July in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5   8 23.15   20 21.8   2.625   2.618    78   17.7  18:39 (161, 32)  
May  12   8 31.96   19 54.6   2.669   2.578    73   17.6  18:34 (157, 32)  

* 117P/Helin-Roman-Alu 1

Now it is 16.4 mag (Apr. 15, J. F. Hernandez). It will brighten up to 13 mag in 2014. In 2012, it is observable at 17 mag in good condition in spring.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  10 52.85   17  3.5   3.719   4.216   112   17.6  19:58 (180, 38)  
May  12  10 52.93   16 44.7   3.803   4.202   106   17.6  19:31 (180, 38)  

* 49P/Arend-Rigaux

It reached up to 11-12 mag in 2011 autumn. Now it is fading. It has already faded down to 17.0 mag (Apr. 15, A. Diepvens). It keeps observable in good condition until May when it becomes fainter than 18 mag. It locates somewhat low in the Southern Hemisphere. A strange tail was observed in late March.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  11 46.78   28  7.5   1.810   2.444   117   17.8  20:52 (180, 27)  
May  12  11 48.61   27  1.6   1.926   2.492   112   18.0  20:26 (180, 28)  

* 240P/2010 P1 ( NEAT )

It had been fading after the perihelion passage in 2010 October, but it brightened again in outburst on Apr. 5, 2011. It reached up to 14.7 mag in May (May 28, Hidetaka Sato). It is bright as 17.5 mag still now, much brighter than expected (Apr. 16, Catalina Sky Survey). It locates low in the Southern Hemisphere. But in the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition after this. It will keep 18 mag for a while.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May   5  13  2.09   21 18.5   3.413   4.179   134   18.3  22:07 (180, 34)  
May  12  12 58.57   20 55.0   3.502   4.204   128   18.4  21:36 (180, 34)  

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