Seiichi Yoshida's Diary of Comet Observations (2024)

Japanese version Home page

Updated on May 7, 2024

Detailed observation data in ICQ format.

2024 May 3-4 (5 comets) I observed 5 comets visually on May 3 and 4 in Kita-karuizawa, Gunma, Japan. The weather was very fine with no clouds. C/2021 S3 ( PanSTARRS ) May 3   11.0 mag   Dia. 1.9'   DC 3-4   (40.0-cm reflector 75x) May 4   11.2 mag   Dia. 1.6'   DC 4   (40.0-cm reflector 75x) Bright and easy to see. C/2022 E2 ( ATLAS ) May 4   12.0 mag   Dia. 1.8'   DC 4-5   (40.0-cm reflector 144x) Moderately condensed and well visible. C/2023 A3 ( Tsuchinshan-ATLAS ) May 3   10.8 mag   Dia. 0.9'   DC 7-8   Tail 2.5' (p.a. 100 deg)   (40.0-cm reflector 75x) May 3   10.5 mag   Dia. 2.3'   DC 7   (40.0-cm reflector 36x) May 4   11.1 mag   Dia. 1.0'   DC 7-8   Tail 4.2' (p.a. 110 deg)   (40.0-cm reflector 75x) May 4   10.8 mag   Dia. 2.3'   DC 7   (40.0-cm reflector 36x) Very strong and sharp condensation. It looks very well with a long tail. 13P/Olbers May 3   8.9 mag   Dia. 3.3'   DC 5   (40.0-cm reflector 75x) May 4   9.3 mag   Dia. 2.0'   DC 5-6   (40.0-cm reflector 75x) Very bright. 479P/Elenin May 3   13.2 mag   Dia. 0.7'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 144x) May 4   13.0 mag   Dia. 0.8'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 144x) Unexpectedly, clearly visible. However, it seems faint although it was reported as 10 mag recently. Maybe I could see the central part only.

2024 Mar. 29 (1 comet) I observed 12P visually on Mar. 29 in Miura City, Kanagawa, Japan. After the heavy rain and strong wind until the afternoon, suddenly it became completely fine in the evening. I enjoyed 12P/Pons-Brooks with a tail surrounded with a sound of the sea. 12P/Pons-Brooks 4.8 mag   Dia. 7'   DC 7   Tail 0.4 deg (p.a. 50 deg)   (10x66 monocular) It brightened furthermore.

2024 Mar. 21 (2 comets) I observed 12P and 13P visually on Mar. 21 in Mt. Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. I was deeply moved to see two Halley type historical comets next to each other with Jupiter in between! 12P/Pons-Brooks 5.4 mag   Dia. 6'   DC 7   (40.0-cm reflector 36x) Very strongly condensed. 13P/Olbers 11.9 mag   Dia. 1'   DC 3   (40.0-cm reflector 144x) Looks faint due to the moon light and low sky dim.

2024 Feb. 12 (4 comets) I observed 4 comets visually on Feb. 12 in Mt. Hanadate, Ibaraki, Japan. It gives me such a profound feeling that we can see both 12P/Pons-Brooks and 13P/Olbers in the sky at the same time, although 13P is too faint to see visually. C/2022 E2 ( ATLAS ) 13.0 mag   Dia. 0.9'   DC 4   (40.0-cm reflector 257x) Not strongly condensed. 12P/Pons-Brooks 8.0 mag   Dia. 4'   DC 5-6   (40.0-cm reflector 75x) Bright and strongly condensed, although it locates low in the evening glow. 13P/Olbers fainter than 13.0 mag   Dia. 0.5'   (40.0-cm reflector 257x) Not visible. 144P/Kushida 10.5 mag   Dia. 2.5'   DC 2   (40.0-cm reflector 75x) Weakly condensed and diffuse.

Go to Seiichi Yoshida's Diary of Comet Observations in 2023.