Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1998 Nov. 21: North)

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Updated on November 21, 1998
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Northern Hemisphere.

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* 21P/Giacobini-Zinner

Image: 1998 Nov. 1
About 8.5 mag actually. Brightness and position will be stable until late December. It is close by 4P in this week, by C/1997 J2 in next week. It will close to M72, M73, Saturn nebula(NGC 7009) next week.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21  20 29.34  -13 51.4   0.854   1.034    67    7.9     79.9 111.5  18:19 ( 33, 35)  
Nov. 28  21  6.12  -17  4.7   0.850   1.038    68    8.0     81.4 108.7  18:18 ( 28, 33)  

* C/1998 U5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Nov. 19
Large, bright and condensed. Southern people cannot see it. Northern people will also miss it after mid December a while.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21   0  2.95   55 51.9   0.477   1.323   125    8.6    232.3 242.2  19:51 (180, 70)  
Nov. 28  22 21.70   41 57.6   0.609   1.289   105    9.0    138.3 220.5  18:18 (141, 82)  

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Nov. 1
Northern people can see it for a long time until next May, although it will low in this winter. Southern people cannot see it. About 3.4 deg from M57.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21  18 45.62   36  1.6   2.025   1.931    70   10.4      1.4 296.2  18:19 (108, 47)  
Nov. 28  18 45.45   36 13.5   2.036   1.894    67   10.3      2.9  12.9  18:18 (110, 42)  

* C/1998 P1 ( Williams )

Image: 1998 Nov. 18
Succeeded to take the image on Nov. 19 morning. Now it is 10-11 mag, a bit fainter than expected, but well condensed. Southern people cannot see it a while more.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21  13 23.14  -19 46.4   1.973   1.269    33   10.5     14.7 343.6   5:11 (302,  9)  
Nov. 28  13 20.72  -18  3.2   1.896   1.320    40   10.6     16.5 339.6   5:17 (307, 16)  

* C/1995 O1 ( Hale-Bopp )


Only observable in the Southern Hemisphere. A bit brighter than the ephemeris, 10.5 mag in October.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21   7  4.68  -71 27.1   7.041   6.983    82   11.4      9.6 220.3   3:06 (  0,-16)  
Nov. 28   6 54.65  -72 14.5   7.099   7.042    82   11.4      9.4 228.8   2:29 (  0,-17)  

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

Image: 1998 Nov. 19
Magnitude will be stable until next April. It is low for Southern people. About 4 deg from 52P.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21   7  0.07   41 27.0   1.581   2.373   133   11.8      2.0 133.1   3:01 (180, 84)  
Nov. 28   7  0.06   41 14.5   1.504   2.347   139   11.6      2.7 212.8   2:34 (180, 84)  

* 88P/Howell


Although it locates extremely low, it is so bright as 10-11 mag, brighter than the ephemeris. Although it will locate in the evening southern west sky, it will fade soon. It is close by M75 this week.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21  19 59.72  -24 25.3   1.781   1.522    58   12.3     48.9  77.9  18:19 ( 34, 22)  
Nov. 28  20 23.77  -23  6.8   1.845   1.552    57   12.6     48.0  75.7  18:18 ( 35, 23)  

* C/1997 J2 ( Meunier-Dupouy )

Image: 1998 Mar. 7
A bit fainter than the ephemeris. It will set down in the west soon. It will be close by 21P next week.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21  21  7.22  -15 17.6   4.034   3.918    76   12.7     10.7 136.6  18:19 ( 22, 37)  
Nov. 28  21 11.03  -16  7.9   4.190   3.959    69   12.8     10.7 128.6  18:18 ( 28, 34)  

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

Image: 1998 Nov. 19
Stably keeping 12 mag since July. The condition will be good for Northern people. P/1998 U3 is close.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21   7 15.86   39 56.5   1.068   1.870   130   12.8     11.1  68.9   3:17 (180, 85)  
Nov. 28   7 21.20   40 22.9   1.006   1.849   136   12.8      8.0  63.6   2:55 (180, 85)  

* 93P/Lovas 1

Image: 1998 Nov. 19
Bright as 13 mag both visually and by CCD. Now is the peak and it will fade after this. Southern people cannot observe it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21   6 38.43   47 33.0   0.888   1.736   135   13.4      5.3  33.1   2:40 (180, 77)  
Nov. 28   6 39.03   47 57.6   0.875   1.754   140   13.5      2.8 336.4   2:13 (180, 77)  

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Oct. 18
Although 13 mag visually, 16 mag by CCD. It will reach to 7 mag next year but the condition is bad for Northern people.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21   0  6.85   10 53.5   2.452   3.146   126   13.9     31.0 237.4  20:04 (  0, 66)  
Nov. 28  23 55.27    9  0.4   2.504   3.075   116   13.9     27.5 235.6  19:26 (  0, 64)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


Not observable.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21  14 30.07  -23 22.3   7.141   6.207    17   14.2     11.3 110.3   5:11 (295, -5)  
Nov. 28  14 35.42  -23 49.7   7.102   6.206    23   14.2     11.1 110.6   5:17 (299, -1)  

* C/1998 K2 ( LINEAR )


Only observable in the Southern Hemisphere. Recent magnitude is faint as 14-16 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21  18 37.09  -70 56.8   2.891   2.494    56   14.3     28.1  97.7  18:19 ( 17,-23)  
Nov. 28  19 18.06  -71  8.3   2.930   2.523    56   14.4     28.9  90.3  18:18 ( 16,-22)  

* C/1998 K5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 June 20
Beginning to fade gradually. It has a strange tail (about 1.5 arcmin).
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21   2 34.25    9 45.4   1.241   2.196   160   14.5     11.5 238.6  22:32 (  0, 65)  
Nov. 28   2 30.41    9 10.6   1.362   2.281   152   14.7      7.6 238.1  22:01 (  0, 64)  

* 4P/Faye


Brightening well. 14.5 mag visually and 15.5 mag by CCD. It will be at conjunction soon and we cannot see it for a year after that. So now is the chance to observe it. 21P is close.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21  20 23.11  -12 44.3   2.490   2.287    66   14.8     22.2  85.7  18:19 ( 35, 35)  
Nov. 28  20 34.11  -12 29.4   2.528   2.246    62   14.6     23.9  83.8  18:18 ( 39, 33)  

* P/1998 S1 ( LINEAR-Mueller )


14.5 mag visually and 16 mag by CCD. Slowly fading.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21   0 41.65   13 14.3   1.749   2.551   135   14.8      1.6 320.7  20:40 (  0, 68)  
Nov. 28   0 41.83   13 25.1   1.817   2.554   128   14.9      2.6  43.0  20:13 (  0, 68)  

* 102P/Shoemaker 1


Not yet observed in this return. Now is the chance but low in the south. It may be much fainter than the ephemeris. It is close by M55 this week.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21  19 46.43  -31 19.0   2.610   2.198    54   15.2     29.0  60.8  18:19 ( 33, 15)  
Nov. 28  20  0.32  -29 38.1   2.652   2.174    51   15.2     29.9  60.7  18:18 ( 36, 15)  

* C/1998 M2 ( LINEAR )


14.5 mag visually and 15 mag by CCD. It will fade and be lower gradually after this. Southern people cannnot observe it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21  18 47.49   22 50.2   3.251   2.914    61   15.2     22.0  77.0  18:19 ( 90, 43)  
Nov. 28  18 58.54   23 27.0   3.309   2.941    59   15.3     22.8  75.7  18:18 ( 93, 40)  

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )


No observations have been reported after last spring because it was too close to the sun, but observed on Nov. 15 as 15.3 mag, as bright as the ephemeris. Now is the last chance to observe in the Northern Hemisphere. Northern people cannot observe it in next year.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21  10  8.73  -29 42.6   4.941   4.788    75   15.6     14.8 174.0   5:11 (346, 24)  
Nov. 28  10  9.21  -31 27.2   4.814   4.746    80   15.5     15.1 179.2   5:17 (354, 23)  

* C/1998 W1 ( Spahr )


It will be 14.5 mag in next January and February. But it may be fading if it is short periodic comet.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21   4 29.90   -9 57.5   1.094   2.003   148   15.7     15.5 309.2   0:32 (  0, 45)  
Nov. 28   4 23.68   -8 33.5   1.031   1.949   150   15.5     20.1 315.2  23:53 (  0, 47)  

* P/1998 QP54 ( LONEOS-Tucker )


15 mag both visually and by CCD. It will fade soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21  23 50.38   24  9.3   1.176   1.929   125   15.7      9.5  69.0  19:49 (  0, 79)  
Nov. 28  23 55.77   24 33.8   1.244   1.944   120   15.9     12.6  73.2  19:27 (  0, 80)  

* C/1998 M1 ( LINEAR )


Fading slowly. 16 mag by CCD. Hard to observe it because it is too low.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 21  18  1.52  -16 34.7   3.914   3.127    32   15.9     24.5  82.6  18:19 ( 62, 10)  
Nov. 28  18 13.42  -16 10.7   3.963   3.132    28   15.9     24.8  81.6  18:18 ( 64,  8)  

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