Seiichi Yoshida's Diary of Comet Observations (2014)

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Updated on December 1, 2014

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Go to Seiichi Yoshida's Diary of Comet Observations in 2015.

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* 2014 Nov. 29 (7 comets)

I observed 7 comets visually on Nov. 29 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan.

After a low atmospheric pressure went away, the weather became fine rapidly. There were many clouds in the evening. But it became fine with no clouds in the morning.

I also tried to observe C/2012 K1 locating extremely low. I could guide my telescope just besides the position. However, I could not observe the comet due to trees and clouds.

C/2013 A1 ( Siding Spring )

10.4 mag   Dia. 1.6'   DC 4   (40.0-cm reflector 144x)

Extremely low, but bright. I could see also with lower magnification (x75).

C/2014 Q2 ( Lovejoy )

8.8 mag   Dia. 5.0'   DC 6   (40.0-cm reflector 75x)

The comet became much brighter and larger during last one month!

It located close to a 9-mag star, but the central condensation was clearly separated. So I think there was no influence.

C/2014 Q3 ( Borisov )

12.1 mag   Dia. 2.1'   DC 2   (40.0-cm reflector 75x)

Much more diffuse and the central condensation is weaker than expected. So harder to see than expected.

C/2014 R1 ( Borisov )

10.6 mag   Dia. 1.5'   DC 5   (40.0-cm reflector 75x)

Very bright and easy to see.

4P/Faye

14.0 mag   Dia. 0.6'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Still visible.

32P/Comas Sola

13.9 mag   Dia. 0.7'   DC 4   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

It became well visible visually. I think the comet is brightening.

108P/Ciffreo

13.7 mag   Dia. 0.7'   DC 4   (40.0-cm reflector 144x)

Well visible unexpectedly.

* 2014 Oct. 25 (14 comets)

I observed 14 comets visually on Oct. 25 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan.

It became almost cloudy in a short time of the evening, but the weather was fine with no clouds almost all night.

C/2010 S1 ( LINEAR )

fainter than 12.9 mag   Dia. 1.0'   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Not visible.

C/2012 K1 ( PanSTARRS )

8.2 mag   Dia. 8'   DC 6   (40.0-cm reflector 36x)

Now it locates extremely low in the South. Bright, well condensed and easy to see as before.

C/2013 A1 ( Siding Spring )

11.0 mag   Dia. 1.5'   DC 5   (40.0-cm reflector 144x)

It has passed near by Mars just one week ago. Well visible.

C/2013 US10 ( Catalina )

14.3 mag   Dia. 0.4'   DC 6   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Tiny. Looks similar to a faint star.

C/2014 E2 ( Jacques )

12.0 mag   Dia. 1.2'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 144x)

It faded very much in one month. It will be too hard to see among many background stars soon.

P/2014 L2 ( NEOWISE )

fainter than 13.7 mag   Dia. 0.8'   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Not visible.

C/2014 Q2 ( Lovejoy )

12.1 mag   Dia. 1.2'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 144x)

Difficult to guide my telescope to the position because it locates extremely low and there are too many stars around the position. It looks diffuse with weak condensation.

C/2014 Q3 ( Borisov )

12.0 mag   Dia. 1.9'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 75x)

As already reported, fairly bright!

C/2014 R1 ( Borisov )

12.0 mag   Dia. 1.3'   DC 2   (40.0-cm reflector 144x)

Diffuse, but fairly bright unexpectedly.

4P/Faye

14.3 mag   Dia. 0.6'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Still visible.

32P/Comas Sola

14.1 mag   Dia. 0.7'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Fainter than predicted.

108P/Ciffreo

fainter than 14.2 mag   Dia. 0.3'   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Not visible.

117P/Helin-Roman-Alu 1

13.5 mag   Dia. 0.5'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Hard to see.

284P/McNaught

14.1 mag   Dia. 0.7'   DC 4   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Still visible unexpectedly.

* 2014 Sept. 22 (9 comets)

I observed 9 comets visually on Sept. 22 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan.

The weather kept fine with no clouds all night. I could see very thin Moon in the morning sky.

C/2010 S1 ( LINEAR )

13.3 mag   Dia. 0.9'   DC 2   (40.0-cm reflector 144x)

Very diffuse.

C/2011 J2 ( LINEAR )

14.7 mag   Dia. 0.8'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Hard to see. Just after the nucleus split, but no outburst occured and much more difficult to see than last year.

C/2012 K1 ( PanSTARRS )

7.5 mag   Dia. 6'   DC 6   (40.0-cm reflector 36x)

7.1 mag   Dia. 8'   DC 7   (10x70 monocular)

Very bright and easy to see.

C/2014 E2 ( Jacques )

9.2 mag   Dia. 5.5'   DC 5   (40.0-cm reflector 36x)

Getting fainter now, but still bright and easy to see. It looks strongly condensed as DC=7 with 75x magnification.

P/2014 L2 ( NEOWISE )

fainter than 13.8 mag   Dia. 0.6'   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Not visible.

4P/Faye

14.3 mag   Dia. 0.4'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Hard to see.

17P/Holmes

14.3 mag   Dia. 0.6'   DC 4   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Tiny and faint. Hard to imagine it brightened up to 2 mag in its last apparition.

32P/Comas Sola

fainter than 14.2 mag   Dia. 0.7'   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Unexpectedly, not visible.

284P/McNaught

13.9 mag   Dia. 0.7'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Unexpectedly, I could see it. Faint and diffuse.

* 2014 May 3 (9 comets)

I observed 9 comets visually on May 3 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan.

The weather kept fine with no clouds all night. But the transparency was not excellent.

I could not observe C/2013 V1 and C/2013 Y2 because they were overlapping on 13-mag stars.

C/2012 F3 ( PanSTARRS )

13.3 mag   Dia. 1.0'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 144x)

Faint and hard to see.

C/2012 K1 ( PanSTARRS )

9.0 mag   Dia. 8'   DC 7   (40.0-cm reflector 36x)

Very strongly condensed, and very bright. I enjoyed the rendezvous with Whirlpool Galaxy M51.

C/2012 X1 ( LINEAR )

7.9 mag   Dia. 5'   DC 5   (40.0-cm reflector 36x)

Bright, large, and easy to see.

C/2013 R1 ( Lovejoy )

11.3 mag   Dia. 2.0'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 75x)

Very diffuse. But it looks large and easy to see.

C/2014 E2 ( Jacques )

8.0 mag   Dia. 6'   DC 4   (40.0-cm reflector 36x)

Bright, moderately condensed, and easy to see.

29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

13.0 mag   DC 9   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

I read the new outburst report up to 13 mag on May 2 at comets-ml, and I tried to observe it. Completely stellar. There are many 13-mag stars around the comet.

134P/Kowal-Vavrova

12.6 mag   Dia. 1.1'   DC 4   (40.0-cm reflector 144x)

Unexpectedly bright and easy to see.

209P/LINEAR

fainter than 14.3 mag   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

It is predicted to be 11 mag at the end of this month. But it was not visible.

290P/Jager

fainter than 13.1 mag   Dia. 0.7'   (40.0-cm reflector 257x)

Not visible.

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Go to Seiichi Yoshida's Diary of Comet Observations in 2013.

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