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Updated on December 6, 2016 |
Go to Seiichi Yoshida's Diary of Comet Observations in 2017. |
2016 Dec. 2-3 (5 comets)
I observed 5 comets visually on Dec. 2 and 3 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan. The weather was fine with no clouds. Rendezvous of Moon and Venus in the evening sky was very beautiful. Bright comets C/2015 V2 and C/2016 U1 are near by Whirlpool Galaxy M51, whose spiral arms are clearly visible. C/2015 V2 ( Johnson )
C/2016 U1 ( NEOWISE )
43P/Wolf-Harrington
45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova
144P/Kushida
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2016 Nov. 4-5 (7 comets)
I observed 7 comets visually on Nov. 4 and 5 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan. The excellent fine weather with no clouds continued for over 30 hours from Nov. 4 to 5. But unfortunately, stars in the low sky look de-focussed. The weather became cloudy with strong wind in the morning on Nov. 6. I also tried to observe 56P. I found a faint object at the predicted position. So I guessed it might be 56P. However, after I came back home, I checked star catalogs and found a 14.7 mag star at the position. I also saw a bright shooting star with a very long trail from Draco to Sagittarius at about 09:24:15 (UT). C/2011 KP36 ( Spacewatch )
C/2015 V2 ( Johnson )
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
43P/Wolf-Harrington
144P/Kushida
226P/Pigott-LINEAR-Kowalski
237P/LINEAR
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2016 Oct. 20 (5 comets + 1 asteroid)
I observed 5 comets and 1 asteroid visually on Oct. 20 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan. The weather was fine with no clouds. There was bright moon light in the morning, but I could see three bright comets visually. C/2011 KP36 ( Spacewatch )
C/2015 V2 ( Johnson )
43P/Wolf-Harrington
144P/Kushida
237P/LINEAR
(3200) Phaethon
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2016 Sept. 1 (8 comets)
I observed 8 comets visually on Sept. 1 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan. Many clouds covered the sky sometimes. C/2011 KP36 ( Spacewatch )
C/2013 US10 ( Catalina )
C/2014 W2 ( PanSTARRS )
C/2016 A8 ( LINEAR )
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
53P/Van Biesbroeck
174P/(60558) Echeclus
226P/Pigott-LINEAR-Kowalski
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2016 June 3 (7 comets)
I observed 7 comets visually on June 3 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan. Almost cloudy in the evening, so I observed comets through small gaps of clouds. The clouds went away after 21:30(JST). But the sky was covered with thin clouds all night, so the sky condition was not good. C/2013 X1 ( PanSTARRS )
C/2014 S2 ( PanSTARRS )
C/2014 W2 ( PanSTARRS )
C/2015 WZ ( PanSTARRS )
9P/Tempel 1
116P/Wild 4
252P/LINEAR
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2016 May 1-4 (11 comets)
I observed 11 comets visually between May 1-4 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan. On May 1, many clouds existed in the evening. Especially the northern sky was cloudy. The whole sky became cloudy after 21:30. It became fine at midnight. But it became cloudy again in the morning, only Moon and few stars were visible. On May 2, it was humid. The sky was covered by fog after 21:10. On May 4, it was completely fine with no clouds in daytime after heavy rain, but suddenly it became cloudy in the evening. I could observe comets through large gaps of clouds, although it became weakly rainy in short time during my observation. It became completely cloudy after 21:20, but it became completely fine in the morning. C/2013 US10 ( Catalina )
C/2013 X1 ( PanSTARRS )
C/2014 S2 ( PanSTARRS )
C/2014 W2 ( PanSTARRS )
C/2015 WZ ( PanSTARRS )
9P/Tempel 1
77P/Longmore
81P/Wild 2
104P/Kowal 2
116P/Wild 4
252P/LINEAR
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2016 Apr. 15 (5 comets)I observed 5 comets visually on Apr. 15 in Mt. Hanadate, Ibaraki, Japan. Because I wonder 252P/LINEAR may fade out rapidly soon, I went observe it again before full moon. I also tried to observe 77P but I could not see it, because it was already low at the moon set. C/2014 S2 ( PanSTARRS )
C/2014 W2 ( PanSTARRS )
9P/Tempel 1
116P/Wild 4
252P/LINEAR
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2016 Apr. 8-9 (7 comets)
I observed 7 comets visually on Apr. 8-9 in Mt. Hanadate, Ibaraki, Japan. Finally I could see Comet 252P/LINEAR, passing near by the earth and bright as a naked comet. Cherry blossoms are in full bloom in Mt. Hanadate. C/2014 S2 ( PanSTARRS )
C/2014 W2 ( PanSTARRS )
9P/Tempel 1
77P/Longmore
81P/Wild 2
116P/Wild 4
252P/LINEAR
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2016 Mar. 22 (5 comets)
I observed 5 comets visually on Mar. 22 in Mt. Hanadate, Ibaraki, Japan. Comet 252P/LINEAR is passing near by the earth and bright as a naked eye comet in the Southern Hemisphere. Today is the closest approach of its fragment P/2016 BA14 ( PanSTARRS ) to the earth. So I tried to observe it despite of full moon. Many clouds existed in the afternoon. But the weather became fine with no clouds at night. The sky transparency was not good. C/2013 US10 ( Catalina )
C/2014 S2 ( PanSTARRS )
460P/PanSTARRS
81P/Wild 2
333P/LINEAR
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2016 Jan. 9 (9 comets)
I observed 9 comets visually on Jan. 9 in Mt. Hanadate, Ibaraki, Japan. The weather was completely fine with no clouds in the evening and in the morning. But it was cloudy around mid night, with slight snow. The sky was not so clear. I could not see the Milky Way. In the morning eastern sky, Venus and Saturn encounters very close. I also tried to observe 22P and 10P. But 22P was not visible due to the bright background low sky. 10P was not visible because too close to 12-mag and 13-mag stars. C/2013 US10 ( Catalina )
C/2013 X1 ( PanSTARRS )
C/2014 S2 ( PanSTARRS )
C/2014 W2 ( PanSTARRS )
C/2014 W11 ( PanSTARRS )
C/2015 X8 ( NEOWISE )
116P/Wild 4
230P/LINEAR
249P/LINEAR
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Go to Seiichi Yoshida's Diary of Comet Observations in 2015. |