Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2012 May 26: South)

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Updated on May 28, 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 )

It kept as bright as 6-7 mag for a long time from 2011 summer to 2012 spring. Now it is fading. But it is bright as 9.1 mag still now (May 18, Marco Goiato). 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  26   8 54.10   28  6.2   2.829   2.546    63    9.7  18:27 (154, 22)  
June  2   8 57.16   25 58.0   3.003   2.613    58   10.0  18:25 (148, 22)  

* (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. Now it is 12.0 mag (May 27, Marco Goiato). It has already turned to be stellar.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  26  16 38.46  -21  8.5   1.435   2.445   173   11.9   0:25 (180, 76)  
June  2  16 31.45  -21 45.1   1.432   2.446   177   11.8  23:45 (180, 77)  

* C/2011 F1 ( LINEAR )

Already so bright as 12.1 mag (May 15, 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  26  14 29.07   54 13.5   2.905   3.261   101   12.0  22:10 (180,  1)  
June  2  14 21.17   52 47.9   2.877   3.198    99   11.8  21:35 (180,  2)  

* C/2011 UF305 ( LINEAR )

It brightened much faster than expected. Now it is so bright as 11.2 mag (May 14, Juan Jose Gonzalez). In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable at 12-13 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  26   2 32.89   85 15.3   2.480   2.241    64   12.8   5:26 (185,-33)  
June  2   5 56.28   83 46.0   2.506   2.218    61   12.7  18:25 (173,-33)  

* 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 will be getting higher gradually. 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  26   2 37.98  -38 32.6   2.983   2.690    63   13.2   5:26 (297, 32)  
June  2   2 49.11  -40 23.6   2.853   2.641    67   13.0   5:30 (298, 36)  

* C/2011 L4 ( PanSTARRS )

It is expected to be a great comet of -1 mag in 2013 spring. Now it is 13.3 mag (May 14, Todd Augustyniak). 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  26  16 14.35  -25 54.3   3.508   4.518   175   13.3   0:01 (180, 81)  
June  2  16  5.59  -25 54.1   3.436   4.441   171   13.2  23:19 (180, 81)  

* C/2006 S3 ( LONEOS )

Now it is bright as 13.1 mag and visible visually (May 15, Juan Jose Gonzalez). 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  26  16 57.72  -12 42.5   4.150   5.140   166   13.4   0:44 (180, 68)  
June  2  16 46.84  -12 34.5   4.141   5.143   170   13.4   0:06 (180, 68)  

* 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  26   4  3.72  -54 42.9   5.720   5.560    75   13.6   5:26 (321, 25)  
June  2   4 10.85  -54  3.7   5.718   5.570    76   13.6   5:30 (318, 28)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Another small outburst occured on May 1. Now it has got diffuse, but still visible as bright as 11.0 mag (May 14, Juan Jose Gonzalez).

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  26  12  5.07  -10 24.4   5.689   6.257   119   13.7  19:48 (180, 65)  
June  2  12  4.95  -10 15.9   5.786   6.256   113   13.8  19:20 (180, 65)  

* 96P/Machholz 1

It has brightened up to 17.5 mag on May 15 (Martin Masek, et al.). Brightening rapidly. 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  26   1 24.41  -33 49.1   1.279   1.300    67   14.6   5:26 (285, 45)  
June  2   2  5.39  -31 18.6   1.151   1.172    65   13.8   5:30 (283, 42)  

* 78P/Gehrels 2

It kept as bright as 11-12 mag for a long time from 2011 autumn to 2012 spring. It is not observable now. But it will appear in the morning sky again at 15 mag in autumn.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  26   5 41.41   19 21.3   3.197   2.280    20   13.9  18:27 (114,  0)  
June  2   5 56.82   19 22.2   3.249   2.306    18   14.0  18:25 (113, -2)  

* 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  26   3  6.68   10 28.4   2.399   1.478    18   14.1   5:26 (256,  1)  
June  2   3 28.20   11 25.5   2.419   1.510    20   13.9   5:30 (254,  2)  

* 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  26   3 20.04  -31 43.8   1.293   1.082    54   14.4   5:26 (294, 22)  
June  2   3 52.97  -36 29.5   1.128   1.072    59   14.1   5:30 (299, 23)  

* 246P/2010 V2 ( NEAT )

Now it is so bright as 11.8 mag (May 14, Juan Jose Gonzalez). 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  26  12 51.10   12 44.9   2.528   3.160   120   14.2  20:33 (180, 42)  
June  2  12 50.57   11 58.1   2.593   3.146   114   14.2  20:05 (180, 43)  

* 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. It keeps observable for a long time in the Northern Hemisphere. It is not observable in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  26  23 27.77   52 45.6   6.832   6.419    61   14.3   5:26 (196, -1)  
June  2  23 26.01   53 24.7   6.750   6.400    65   14.2   5:30 (191,  0)  

* 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  26   2 46.72   40 51.7   3.092   2.235    26   14.6   5:26 (229,-13)  
June  2   3  4.36   41 50.8   3.151   2.307    28   14.8   5:30 (227,-12)  

* C/2011 A3 ( Gibbs )

Now it is 14.9 mag (Apr. 1, 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  26  22 50.68  -14 36.7   2.824   2.943    86   14.8   5:26 (222, 64)  
June  2  22 57.23  -15  2.2   2.777   2.988    91   14.8   5:30 (209, 68)  

* 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  26   5 30.72    2 50.2   2.557   1.711    26   15.1  18:27 ( 99,  8)  
June  2   5 49.58    2 41.4   2.634   1.775    25   15.4  18:25 ( 98,  7)  

* 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  26  20 43.92  -63 46.7   3.374   3.959   118   15.1   4:29 (  0, 61)  
June  2  20 45.05  -66 14.7   3.320   3.949   121   15.1   4:03 (  0, 59)  

* 71P/Clark

The condition of this apparition is bad, and it was not observable around the perihelion passage. Appearing in the morning sky now. It is bright still now, about 14 mag (May 16, Terry Lovejoy). But it still locates extremely low in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  26   0 51.07   -2 41.8   2.569   2.148    54   15.2   5:26 (245, 35)  
June  2   1  1.99   -1 40.3   2.541   2.187    58   15.3   5:30 (239, 38)  

* C/2012 CH17 ( MOSS )

Now it is 16.1 mag (May 10, M. Jaeger, et al.). 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  26  10 54.84   34 43.2   2.023   2.204    86   16.0  18:38 (180, 20)  
June  2  11  0.21   33 51.6   2.027   2.131    81   15.8  18:25 (178, 21)  

* C/2012 J1 ( Catalina )

Bright new comet. Now it is 16.1 mag (May 14, P. Birtwhistle). It keeps observable in good condition at 14-15 mag for a long time until winter. It locates somewhat low in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  26  23  2.69   27 45.2   3.904   3.676    69   16.1   5:26 (200, 24)  
June  2  23  9.59   29  0.2   3.802   3.645    73   16.0   5:30 (194, 25)  

* 258P/2012 K2 ( McNaught )

First return of a new periodic comet which brightened up to 14 mag in 2005. It was recovered as bright as predicted. Now it is 17.5 mag (May 18, Martin Masek). It is expected to brighten up to 13 mag from summer to autumn, and will be observable in excellent condition. Now it locates high in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  26  23  2.22  -20 29.0   1.653   1.883    86   16.9   5:26 (236, 67)  
June  2  23 16.92  -18 48.0   1.555   1.842    89   16.7   5:30 (225, 68)  

* 152P/Helin-Lawrence

Now it is 16.3 mag (Apr. 24, V. Gerke, A. Novichonok, S. Plaksa). 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  26  16 28.88  -15 31.2   2.117   3.126   173   16.7   0:15 (180, 71)  
June  2  16 24.02  -15 39.9   2.115   3.123   172   16.7  23:38 (180, 71)  

* 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 will be low in June, and become unobservable for a while after July.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  26  10 22.68   12 41.1   6.042   6.089    87   16.8  18:27 (173, 42)  
June  2  10 22.31   13  6.4   6.120   6.043    80   16.7  18:25 (165, 41)  

* 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  26  15  9.02    8 11.1   4.746   5.622   146   16.9  22:50 (180, 47)  
June  2  15  0.33    8 23.6   4.800   5.622   140   16.9  22:14 (180, 47)  

* 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  26   8 58.46   63 28.4   4.186   3.834    62   16.9  18:27 (168,-11)  
June  2   8 55.76   62 56.4   4.241   3.810    58   16.9  18:25 (165,-11)  

* 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  26  19 36.57   -7  5.1   1.378   2.161   128   17.0   3:22 (180, 62)  
June  2  19 36.50   -6 28.5   1.341   2.178   134   17.0   2:54 (180, 61)  

* 185P/Petriew

Hidetaka Sato observed it at 18.6 mag on May 27. It is expected to brighten rapidly and to reach up to 10 mag in August. It keeps observable in the morning sky all through this apparition, although it locates somewhat low.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  26  23 24.65   11  9.9   1.451   1.446    69   17.7   5:26 (213, 38)  
June  2  23 49.91   13 52.4   1.366   1.380    69   17.0   5:30 (210, 36)  

* 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  26  10 55.27   15 54.7   3.978   4.172    93   17.2  18:38 (180, 39)  
June  2  10 57.47   15 24.2   4.067   4.157    87   17.2  18:25 (176, 40)  

* C/2008 S3 ( Boattini )

It keeps 17 mag for a long time from 2009 to 2013.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  26  23 41.73   13 45.3   8.685   8.299    64   17.4   5:26 (216, 33)  
June  2  23 41.05   13 57.2   8.584   8.310    71   17.4   5:30 (207, 37)  

* 189P/NEAT

Dave Herald observed it at 18.6 mag on May 27. It will approach to the earth down to 0.17 A.U. in July. Then it brightens up to 15 mag and moves northwards very quickly. Now it locates very high in the Southern Hemisphere, but not observable in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will become observable in late June, then it will be observable in excellent condition. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps excellent condition until July. It keeps observable also after that, but locates somewhat low.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  26  17 32.50  -61 47.2   0.421   1.352   137   17.9   1:18 (  0, 63)  
June  2  17 44.82  -60 19.0   0.363   1.314   140   17.5   1:03 (  0, 65)  

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