Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1998 Nov. 28: South)

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Updated on December 1, 1998
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Southern Hemisphere.

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* 21P/Giacobini-Zinner

Image: 1998 Nov. 23
We can observe it for a while under the same condition. It is close by C/1997 J2 this week.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28  21  6.12  -17  4.7   0.850   1.038    68    8.7     81.4 108.7  20:38 ( 92, 35)  
Dec.  5  21 44.43  -19 49.1   0.858   1.052    69    8.8     80.9 105.2  20:46 ( 90, 36)  

* C/1998 U5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Nov. 25
The rapid brightening finished. It turns to fade after this. 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. 28  22 22.09   42  1.5   0.608   1.288   105    9.0    138.3 220.6  20:38 (150,  5)  
Dec.  5  21 45.29   32  9.5   0.788   1.262    90    9.5     78.6 213.3  20:46 (133,  3)  

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Nov. 23
Northern people can see it for a long time until next May, although it will low in this winter. Southern people cannot see it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28  18 45.45   36 13.5   2.036   1.894    67   10.3      2.9  12.9  20:38 (119,-24)  
Dec.  5  18 46.30   36 41.0   2.038   1.861    65   10.2      5.6  23.6  20:46 (116,-30)  

* C/1998 P1 ( Williams )

Image: 1998 Nov. 29
Rapidly becomes higher. Southern people also can see it now. It is about 1.5 mag fainter than before perihelion.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28  13 20.72  -18  3.2   1.896   1.320    40   10.6     16.5 339.6   2:57 (285, 11)  
Dec.  5  13 17.38  -16  7.6   1.802   1.376    49   10.7     19.4 335.5   2:54 (279, 15)  

* 88P/Howell

Image: 1998 Nov. 23
Now is the best condition. It is 10 mag and diffused. It will fade rapidly after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28  20 23.77  -23  6.8   1.845   1.552    57   11.1     48.0  75.7  20:38 ( 81, 28)  
Dec.  5  20 46.87  -21 37.7   1.913   1.583    55   11.4     47.0  73.6  20:46 ( 80, 25)  

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

Image: 1998 Nov. 29
It keeps the good condition for a while. It is brightening since October and now 10 mag visually. The tail is getting greater. P/1998 U3 is close.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28   7 21.20   40 22.9   1.006   1.849   136   11.5      8.0  63.6   2:55 (180, 15)  
Dec.  5   7 24.58   40 45.6   0.951   1.829   141   11.4      4.8  53.0   2:31 (180, 14)  

* 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. 28   6 54.65  -72 14.5   7.099   7.042    82   11.4      9.4 228.8   2:29 (  0, 53)  
Dec.  5   6 43.01  -72 53.2   7.158   7.101    82   11.5      9.2 237.8   1:50 (  0, 52)  

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

Image: 1998 Nov. 29
Brightening while approaching to the earth and the tail is getting greater. It will be 11 mag until next April. It is too low for Southern people. 52P is close.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28   7  0.07   41 14.6   1.511   2.353   139   11.7      2.7 212.5   2:34 (180, 14)  
Dec.  5   6 58.30   40 54.6   1.443   2.329   146   11.5      5.5 230.7   2:05 (180, 14)  

* C/1997 J2 ( Meunier-Dupouy )

Image: 1998 Nov. 23
A bit fainter than the ephemeris. It will set down in the west soon. 21P is close.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28  21 11.03  -16  7.9   4.190   3.959    69   12.8     10.7 128.6  20:38 ( 94, 34)  
Dec.  5  21 15.32  -16 51.2   4.342   4.000    63   12.9     10.9 121.8  20:46 ( 89, 28)  

* 93P/Lovas 1

Image: 1998 Nov. 29
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. 28   6 39.03   47 57.6   0.875   1.754   140   13.5      2.8 336.4   2:13 (180,  7)  
Dec.  5   6 37.02   48  7.4   0.870   1.774   145   13.7      4.5 272.6   1:43 (180,  7)  

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Nov. 25
Although 14 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. 28  23 55.32    9  0.9   2.507   3.079   116   13.9     27.4 235.7  20:38 (155, 43)  
Dec.  5  23 45.48    7 17.6   2.572   3.008   106   13.8     23.6 233.8  20:46 (141, 39)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


Not observable.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28  14 35.42  -23 49.7   7.102   6.206    23   14.2     11.1 110.6   2:57 (299,  0)  
Dec.  5  14 40.67  -24 16.8   7.052   6.204    28   14.2     10.8 110.8   2:54 (297,  4)  

* 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. 28  19 18.06  -71  8.3   2.930   2.523    56   14.4     28.9  90.3  20:38 ( 23, 34)  
Dec.  5  20  0.04  -70 53.3   2.970   2.554    56   14.4     29.7  82.8  20:46 ( 23, 34)  

* 4P/Faye


Brightening well. 14.0 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, but very low at dusk. It will close to M72, M73 next week.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28  20 34.11  -12 29.4   2.528   2.246    62   14.6     23.9  83.8  20:38 ( 92, 25)  
Dec.  5  20 45.82  -12  8.2   2.561   2.205    58   14.4     25.5  82.2  20:46 ( 89, 20)  

* C/1998 K5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Nov. 24
Rather rapidly fading now. 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. 28   2 30.41    9 10.6   1.362   2.281   152   14.7      7.6 238.1  22:01 (180, 46)  
Dec.  5   2 28.11    8 48.6   1.493   2.366   144   14.9      4.1 235.5  21:31 (180, 46)  

* P/1998 S1 ( LINEAR-Mueller )


14 mag visually and 16 mag by CCD. Slowly fading although the location will be good for a while. Now is the chance.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28   0 41.83   13 25.0   1.816   2.553   128   14.9      2.6  43.0  20:38 (172, 41)  
Dec.  5   0 43.31   13 40.6   1.891   2.557   122   15.0      5.1  59.4  20:46 (161, 39)  

* 102P/Shoemaker 1


Not yet observed in this return. It may be much fainter than the ephemeris. It is too low to observe.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28  20  0.32  -29 38.1   2.652   2.174    51   15.2     29.9  60.7  20:38 ( 71, 27)  
Dec.  5  20 14.34  -27 53.9   2.692   2.152    47   15.1     30.6  60.5  20:46 ( 70, 22)  

* C/1998 M2 ( LINEAR )


14.5 mag visually and 15 mag by CCD. Now is the last chance for observation but getting lower.. Southern people cannnot observe it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28  18 58.54   23 27.0   3.309   2.941    59   15.3     22.8  75.7  20:38 (109,-15)  
Dec.  5  19  9.97   24  8.5   3.365   2.968    58   15.4     23.5  74.5  20:46 (106,-20)  

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )


It locates high in the Southern Hemisphere. 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. 28  10  9.21  -31 27.2   4.814   4.746    80   15.5     15.1 179.2   2:57 (276, 55)  
Dec.  5  10  8.93  -33 13.8   4.688   4.706    84   15.4     15.4 184.6   2:54 (277, 61)  

* P/1998 W1 ( Spahr )

Image: 1998 Nov. 28
It keeps the current brightness for a while after this. Visual observers reported it as 14 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28   4 23.94   -8 34.1   0.866   1.790   150   15.7     19.3 316.6  23:54 (180, 63)  
Dec.  5   4 17.61   -6 41.4   0.850   1.774   150   15.6     22.6 323.5  23:20 (180, 62)  

* P/1998 QP54 ( LONEOS-Tucker )


15 mag both visually and by CCD. It will fade soon. Now is the chance. It is low for the Southern people.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28  23 55.76   24 33.8   1.244   1.944   120   15.9     12.6  73.2  20:38 (162, 28)  
Dec.  5   0  2.71   25  0.4   1.317   1.961   116   16.0     15.4  75.0  20:46 (155, 25)  

* P/1998 U2 ( Mueller )


A visual observer reported it as 15 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 28   1 18.45   11 54.6   1.219   2.053   136   17.1      4.9  75.1  20:49 (180, 43)  
Dec.  5   1 21.42   12  7.0   1.282   2.064   130   17.3      8.0  73.5  20:46 (173, 43)  

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Copyright(C) Seiichi Yoshida (comet@aerith.net). All rights reserved.