Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1998 Dec. 5: North)

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 Updated on December 9, 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. 23
We can observe it for a while under the same condition. It is close by M30 this week, by Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) next week. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5  21 44.43  -19 49.1   0.858   1.052    69    8.8     80.9 105.2  18:18 ( 24, 31)  
Dec. 12  22 23.34  -21 54.9   0.877   1.074    70    9.0     78.7 101.2  18:19 ( 21, 30)

* C/1998 U5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1998 Nov. 25
It is going lower. The chance is until the end of December. Southern people cannot see it. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5  21 45.29   32  9.5   0.788   1.262    90    9.5     78.6 213.3  18:18 ( 87, 71)  
Dec. 12  21 28.38   26  2.2   0.984   1.245    78    9.9     47.4 209.1  18:19 ( 82, 60)

* C/1998 P1 ( Williams )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 5
Although it is rather fainter by CCD, about 9 mag visually. Rapidly becomes higher. It has two tails, a long anti-tail towards southeath and an ordinary tail towards west. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5  13 17.38  -16  7.6   1.802   1.376    49    9.7     19.4 335.5   5:22 (312, 23)  
Dec. 12  13 12.77  -13 54.1   1.695   1.438    57    9.7     23.5 331.5   5:27 (319, 30)

* 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)  
Dec.  5  18 46.30   36 41.0   2.038   1.861    65   10.2      5.6  23.6  18:18 (113, 37)  
Dec. 12  18 48.00   37 25.2   2.030   1.831    64   10.2      8.4  25.1  18:19 (116, 32)

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

 Image: 1998 Dec. 5
It keeps the good condition for a while. It is brightening since October and now 10 mag visually. The tail is getting greater. Very low for Southern people. P/1998 U3 is close. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5   7 24.58   40 45.6   0.951   1.829   141   11.4      4.8  53.0   2:31 (180, 84)  
Dec. 12   7 25.86   41  2.3   0.903   1.812   147   11.2      1.9  11.5   2:04 (180, 84)

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 5
Brightening while approaching to the earth and the tail is getting greater. It will be 11 mag until next April. Very low for Southern people. 52P is close. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5   6 58.30   40 54.6   1.443   2.329   146   11.5      5.5 230.7   2:05 (180, 84)  
Dec. 12   6 54.87   40 25.1   1.386   2.306   152   11.4      8.5 233.9   1:34 (180, 85)

* 88P/Howell

 Image: 1998 Nov. 23
Now is the best condition. It is 10 mag and diffused. It will fade rapidly after this. C/1997 J2 is close. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5  20 46.87  -21 37.7   1.913   1.583    55   11.4     47.0  73.6  18:18 ( 37, 24)  
Dec. 12  21  8.99  -20  0.4   1.985   1.617    54   11.7     45.9  71.8  18:19 ( 40, 24)

* C/1995 O1 ( Hale-Bopp )
Only observable in the Southern Hemisphere. It was 11.0 mag in late November. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5   6 43.01  -72 53.2   7.158   7.101    82   11.5      9.2 237.8   1:50 (  0,-18)  
Dec. 12   6 30.06  -73 22.4   7.217   7.160    82   11.5      9.0 247.2   1:10 (  0,-18)

* C/1997 J2 ( Meunier-Dupouy )

 Image: 1998 Nov. 23
A bit fainter than the ephemeris. It will set down in the west soon. 88P is close. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5  21 15.32  -16 51.2   4.342   4.000    63   12.9     10.9 121.8  18:18 ( 33, 31)  
Dec. 12  21 20.02  -17 28.4   4.489   4.042    57   13.0     11.1 116.2  18:19 ( 39, 28)

* 93P/Lovas 1

 Image: 1998 Dec. 5
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)  
Dec.  5   6 37.02   48  7.4   0.870   1.774   145   13.7      4.5 272.6   1:43 (180, 77)  
Dec. 12   6 32.90   47 59.7   0.872   1.796   150   13.8      7.5 251.1   1:12 (180, 77)

* 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)  
Dec.  5  23 45.48    7 17.6   2.572   3.008   106   13.8     23.6 233.8  18:48 (  0, 62)  
Dec. 12  23 37.35    5 45.6   2.646   2.938    97   13.8     19.9 231.7  18:19 (  3, 61)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
Beginning to be observable. No observations are reported since July. CCD observers may catch it if it is in outburst. It has been at conjunction for a while, so observations are encouraged. Because we could not see the comet on the image on Dec. 6, so it should be fainter than 14.5 mag now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5  14 40.67  -24 16.8   7.052   6.204    28   14.2     10.8 110.8   5:22 (303,  4)  
Dec. 12  14 45.79  -24 43.5   6.993   6.203    34   14.2     10.5 111.1   5:27 (308,  8)

* 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 is very close to M72, M73 and Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009). 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5  20 45.82  -12  8.2   2.561   2.205    58   14.4     25.5  82.2  18:18 ( 43, 31)  
Dec. 12  20 58.19  -11 40.6   2.592   2.165    54   14.3     27.0  80.7  18:19 ( 47, 29)

* C/1998 K2 ( LINEAR )
Only observable in the Southern Hemisphere. Recent magnitude is faint as 14-16 mag. It is getting closer to SN 1998ew (14 mag). 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5  20  0.04  -70 53.3   2.970   2.554    56   14.4     29.7  82.8  18:18 ( 15,-21)  
Dec. 12  20 41.22  -70 11.1   3.010   2.587    55   14.5     30.3  75.5  18:19 ( 15,-20)

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 5
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. It was observed as bright as 14.0 mag visually in late November. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5  10  8.93  -33 13.8   4.688   4.706    84   14.8     15.4 184.6   5:15 (  0, 22)  
Dec. 12  10  7.80  -35  1.9   4.565   4.665    89   14.7     15.7 190.2   4:46 (  0, 20)

* C/1998 K5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1998 Nov. 24
Rapidly fading in November. 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)  
Dec.  5   2 28.11    8 48.6   1.493   2.366   144   14.9      4.1 235.5  21:31 (  0, 64)  
Dec. 12   2 27.20    8 37.7   1.634   2.450   137   15.1      1.0 212.6  21:03 (  0, 64)

* 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)  
Dec.  5   0 43.31   13 40.6   1.891   2.557   122   15.0      5.1  59.4  19:47 (  0, 69)  
Dec. 12   0 46.02   14  1.3   1.973   2.562   116   15.1      7.6  64.2  19:22 (  0, 69)

* 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)  
Dec.  5  20 14.34  -27 53.9   2.692   2.152    47   15.1     30.6  60.5  18:18 ( 40, 14)  
Dec. 12  20 28.44  -26  6.1   2.730   2.130    43   15.1     31.4  60.2  18:19 ( 44, 14)

* 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)  
Dec.  5  19  9.97   24  8.5   3.365   2.968    58   15.4     23.5  74.5  18:18 ( 96, 37)  
Dec. 12  19 21.73   24 54.8   3.419   2.997    56   15.4     24.2  73.2  18:19 ( 99, 34)

* 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)  
Dec.  5   4 17.61   -6 41.4   0.850   1.774   150   15.6     22.6 323.5  23:20 (  0, 48)  
Dec. 12   4 11.54   -4 21.2   0.844   1.760   148   15.6     25.0 330.6  22:46 (  0, 51)

* P/1998 QP54 ( LONEOS-Tucker )
15 mag both visually and by CCD. It will fade soon. Now the position is good, so it 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)  
Dec.  5   0  2.71   25  0.4   1.317   1.961   116   16.0     15.4  75.0  19:07 (  0, 80)  
Dec. 12   0 11.01   25 29.6   1.394   1.980   111   16.2     17.8  75.8  18:47 (  0, 81)

* C/1998 K1 ( Mueller )
Beginning to be observable at dawn. No observations have been reported since June. It will keep the brightness for a long time after this, but it keeps very low for the Northern people. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5  13 59.44  -15  1.7   4.225   3.524    39   16.1     19.8 128.8   5:22 (303, 17)  
Dec. 12  14  6.79  -16 28.2   4.171   3.540    44   16.1     19.3 129.6   5:27 (309, 20)

* 37P/Forbes
Not yet observed in this return. It should be brightening from 19 mag to 16 mag during the conjunction. Now is the chance to observe it for the first time. It will be at the peak in June and reach to 13 mag, but the altitude keeps only about 15 deg for the Northern people until June. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5  14 20.21  -18 12.9   2.831   2.090    34   16.6     34.1 111.8   5:22 (302, 12)  
Dec. 12  14 36.08  -19 40.4   2.741   2.045    37   16.4     35.0 110.8   5:27 (306, 13)

* P/1998 WG22 ( Vaisala-Oterma )
Recovered after 59 years since 1939. The recovery magnitude by LINEAR was so faint as 19 mag. It will fade out gradually after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5   3 29.49   19  6.2   2.455   3.406   162   16.8      8.7 251.9  22:32 (  0, 74)  
Dec. 12   3 25.73   18 48.3   2.497   3.410   154   16.8      7.4 251.0  22:01 (  0, 74)

* C/1998 W3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1998 Nov. 29
Reported magnitude has a large scatter from 16 to 19 mag. It will keep the current brightness for a while. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5   8 38.52   31 49.6   4.225   4.891   127   17.0     17.3 318.1   3:45 (  0, 87)  
Dec. 12   8 31.55   33 21.3   4.129   4.885   135   17.0     19.0 314.4   3:10 (  0, 88)

* P/1998 U4 ( Spahr )
Gradually fading. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5   3 49.17  -15 34.8   3.164   3.968   139   17.0      7.7 254.6  22:52 (  0, 39)  
Dec. 12   3 45.74  -15 44.0   3.201   3.963   135   17.0      6.7 264.7  22:21 (  0, 39)

* P/1998 U2 ( Mueller )
Rapidly fading. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5   1 21.42   12  7.0   1.282   2.064   130   17.3      8.0  73.5  20:25 (  0, 67)  
Dec. 12   1 25.75   12 26.3   1.352   2.076   124   17.4     10.9  72.7  20:02 (  0, 67)

* C/1998 W2 ( Hergenrother )
Rapidly fading. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5  21 48.44   -7 42.6   1.516   1.565    74   17.6     46.8  50.6  18:18 ( 29, 43)  
Dec. 12  22  5.53   -4 15.8   1.567   1.576    72   17.7     47.0  51.4  18:19 ( 35, 45)

* P/1983 C1 ( Bowell-Skiff )
Not yet recovered. Because the position is good, it may be fainter than the ephemeris. Delta-T is large as 3.6 days. It should be now brightening. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  5   7 50.01   26 21.8   1.614   2.436   137   18.3      2.0  68.0   2:56 (  0, 81)  
Dec. 12   7 50.31   26 28.2   1.526   2.398   144   18.1      1.3 324.2   2:29 (  0, 81)

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