Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1998 Dec. 26: North)

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Updated on December 27, 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 Dec. 13
It was 9.5-10.0 mag, a bit fainter than the ephemeris in December. Now it is around 10.0 mag. The apprent location keeps stable for a while.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26  23 39.08  -23 55.4   0.949   1.143    72    9.5     71.2  92.3  18:25 ( 17, 29)  
Jan.  2   0 14.31  -23 54.4   0.998   1.186    73    9.8     66.8  88.0  18:29 ( 16, 29)  

* C/1998 P1 ( Williams )

Image: 1998 Dec. 24
Although it is rather fainter by CCD, but about 9 mag and easy to see visually. It has two tails, a long anti-tail towards southeast and an ordinary tail towards west.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26  12 57.67   -8  0.1   1.455   1.572    77    9.8     37.7 325.0   5:35 (337, 44)  
Jan.  2  12 45.74   -3 58.2   1.334   1.644    89    9.8     48.6 322.5   5:37 (351, 51)  

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Brightening well. Now it is very low. Southern people cannot see it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26  18 53.50   39 49.9   1.985   1.784    63   10.0     14.4  22.4  18:25 (123, 23)  
Jan.  2  18 57.07   41 34.0   1.950   1.767    64    9.9     17.6  20.2  18:29 (128, 19)  

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

Image: 1998 Dec. 24
Rapidly brightening while approaching to the earth and the tail is getting greater. Now it is 10 mag visually. We can see it as around 10.0 mag under good condition until next spring. Very low for Southern people.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   6 43.87   38 47.9   1.285   2.246   163   10.5     13.6 229.8   0:28 (180, 86)  
Jan.  2   6 37.53   37 39.5   1.262   2.226   165   10.3     15.2 225.2  23:49 (180, 87)  

* C/1998 U5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
It has become small and faint. Fading gradually now. t is going lower rapidly. 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. 26  21 14.22   19 26.0   1.373   1.238    60   10.6     20.5 202.8  18:25 ( 86, 41)  
Jan.  2  21 11.13   17 33.8   1.551   1.248    53   10.9     14.4 199.9  18:29 ( 89, 33)  

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

Image: 1998 Dec. 24
It keeps the good condition until next spring. It is brightening since October and now 10 mag visually. The tail is getting greater. Very low for Southern people.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   7 22.47   41  5.2   0.834   1.784   157   11.0      5.7 252.4   1:06 (180, 84)  
Jan.  2   7 18.56   40 45.0   0.814   1.773   161   10.9      8.2 240.0   0:35 (180, 84)  

* C/1995 O1 ( Hale-Bopp )


Only observable in the Southern Hemisphere. It was bright as 11.0 mag in December.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   6  2.01  -73 49.3   7.335   7.277    82   11.6      8.5 267.0  23:41 (  0,-19)  
Jan.  2   5 48.08  -73 47.0   7.395   7.335    82   11.7      8.2 277.1  22:59 (  0,-19)  

* 88P/Howell

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
It was 10 mag and diffused in November. It is fading out now and 12 mag in December.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26  21 50.38  -16 28.3   2.141   1.690    50   12.4     43.6  68.9  18:25 ( 46, 24)  
Jan.  2  22  9.73  -14 36.9   2.223   1.729    48   12.7     42.4  67.8  18:29 ( 50, 24)  

* C/1997 J2 ( Meunier-Dupouy )

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
A bit fainter than the ephemeris. It is already fainter than 13 mag, one reported that 15.5 mag by CCD. It locates very low in the southwest at dusk and the observation should be very hard. Southern people cannot observe it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26  21 30.44  -18 27.3   4.761   4.126    45   13.2     11.7 107.8  18:25 ( 49, 20)  
Jan.  2  21 36.05  -18 50.5   4.885   4.169    39   13.3     12.0 104.9  18:29 ( 53, 15)  

* 93P/Lovas 1

Image: 1998 Dec. 24
It has been as bright as 13 mag both visually and by CCD since perihelion passage. It will keep the brightness for a while 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. 26   6 21.45   46 46.6   0.904   1.848   156   13.4     11.7 227.5   0:05 (180, 78)  
Jan.  2   6 15.97   45 43.4   0.935   1.878   156   13.6     12.5 216.6  23:28 (180, 79)  

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Brightening as 13.5-14.0 mag visually. But fainter than 15 mag by CCD. It will reach to 7 mag next year but the condition is bad for Northern people. Southern people cannot observe it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26  23 25.76    3 16.4   2.805   2.798    79   13.7     13.0 226.0  18:25 ( 34, 53)  
Jan.  2  23 22.01    2 18.2   2.882   2.728    71   13.7     10.2 221.6  18:29 ( 45, 48)  

* 4P/Faye

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Brightening well. 14 mag visually and 15 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. Southern people cannot observe it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26  21 24.71  -10 26.3   2.641   2.087    46   13.9     29.8  78.0  18:25 ( 56, 25)  
Jan.  2  21 38.76   -9 39.5   2.659   2.049    42   13.7     31.0  76.8  18:29 ( 60, 22)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


It was not in ourburst in December, so we failed to catch it. It should have been fainter than 15.5 mag. Although it is getting highter gradually, it keeps lower than 27 deg for Northern people in 1999.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26  14 55.46  -25 35.4   6.846   6.200    45   14.1      9.6 112.1   5:35 (318, 16)  
Jan.  2  14 59.95  -26  0.2   6.760   6.198    51   14.1      9.1 112.7   5:37 (323, 18)  

* P/1998 W1 ( Spahr )

Image: 1998 Dec. 19
Bright as around 14.0 mag visually, around 15.0 mag by CCD. It will keep the good position for a while. But the brightness is at peak now.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   4  2.48    1 22.5   0.865   1.741   140   14.3     27.4 346.5  21:42 (  0, 57)  
Jan.  2   4  0.44    4 33.1   0.890   1.734   135   14.3     27.7 355.3  21:13 (  0, 60)  

* 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 is rather bright as 13-14 mag visually now.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26  10  2.58  -38 37.8   4.332   4.585    98   14.5     16.4 202.1   3:46 (  0, 16)  
Jan.  2   9 58.31  -40 22.9   4.225   4.545   102   14.3     16.8 208.2   3:14 (  0, 15)  

* C/1998 K2 ( LINEAR )


Only observable in the Southern Hemisphere. No observations reported recently. It was faint as 14-16 mag between August and October.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26  21 55.66  -67 33.1   3.093   2.658    55   14.7     31.1  63.3  18:25 ( 15,-17)  
Jan.  2  22 27.64  -65 44.9   3.137   2.695    54   14.8     31.3  58.6  18:29 ( 17,-16)  

* 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. 26  20 56.79  -22 19.5   2.797   2.091    36   15.0     32.7  59.4  18:25 ( 52, 12)  
Jan.  2  21 10.96  -20 20.7   2.826   2.073    33   15.0     33.3  58.9  18:29 ( 57, 10)  

* P/1998 S1 ( LINEAR-Mueller )

Image: 1998 Dec. 12
14 mag visually, but 16 mag by CCD. Slowly fading although the location will be good for a while.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   0 54.84   14 57.5   2.149   2.574   104   15.3     12.2  67.4  18:36 (  0, 70)  
Jan.  2   1  0.77   15 32.6   2.242   2.582    98   15.4     14.2  68.0  18:29 ( 11, 70)  

* C/1998 M2 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Dec. 12
14.5 mag visually and 15 mag by CCD, but low in the evening sky. Southern people cannnot observe it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26  19 46.12   26 41.9   3.524   3.059    54   15.6     25.2  70.6  18:25 (105, 27)  
Jan.  2  19 58.66   27 42.5   3.575   3.091    53   15.7     25.6  69.3  18:29 (108, 24)  

* 37P/Forbes


Not yet observed in this return. The ephemeris says it will be brighter than 16 mag, so CCD observers may catch it soon. 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. 26  15  9.91  -22 29.0   2.557   1.956    43   16.0     36.8 108.5   5:35 (313, 16)  
Jan.  2  15 27.96  -23 48.4   2.464   1.913    45   15.8     37.8 107.1   5:37 (316, 17)  

* C/1998 K1 ( Mueller )

Image: 1998 Dec. 24
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. 26  14 20.67  -19 18.4   4.048   3.575    54   16.1     18.0 132.0   5:35 (321, 25)  
Jan.  2  14 27.09  -20 42.1   3.980   3.593    60   16.1     17.2 133.7   5:37 (327, 27)  

* C/1998 K5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Rapidly fading since October. It is already as faint as 16 mag. It has a strange tail towards west (about 1 arcmin). Very close by a new comet P/1998 VS24, 1.6 deg this week and 1.0 deg next week.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   2 29.04    8 42.7   1.941   2.616   123   16.2      4.5  71.7  20:10 (  0, 64)  
Jan.  2   2 31.50    8 55.4   2.105   2.699   117   16.5      6.5  70.3  19:45 (  0, 64)  

* C/1998 W3 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Dec. 24
Faint as 16-17 mag by CCD, but one reported it as 14.9 mag visually. 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. 26   8 14.43   36 22.3   4.087   4.975   151   17.0     21.1 307.5   1:58 (180, 89)  
Jan.  2   8  4.23   37 49.9   4.062   4.987   158   17.0     21.7 304.2   1:21 (180, 87)  

* 65P/Gunn

Image: 1998 Dec. 19
It is around the aphelion now. But the position is good. The recent magnitude is 17-19 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   2 58.16   14  1.1   3.744   4.463   132   17.1      4.6 274.4  20:38 (  0, 69)  
Jan.  2   2 56.33   14  5.1   3.841   4.473   124   17.1      3.1 285.0  20:09 (  0, 69)  

* P/1998 QP54 ( LONEOS-Tucker )

Image: 1998 Dec. 12
Rapidly fading, much faster than the ephemeris. Although the position is good, it should be very faint now.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   0 31.05   26 36.2   1.560   2.023   103   17.1     21.7  76.2  18:25 ( 18, 81)  
Jan.  2   0 42.49   27 13.5   1.648   2.047    99   17.4     23.2  76.2  18:29 ( 45, 80)  

* (3200) Phaethon


Mother asteroid of Geminids. CCD observers will be able to catch it because it is stellar in a good position.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   1 49.11   27 33.3   1.513   2.179   120   17.2     19.5 216.1  19:29 (  0, 82)  
Jan.  2   1 44.34   25 50.2   1.576   2.144   111   17.2     15.3 206.6  18:57 (  0, 81)  

* P/1998 U4 ( Spahr )


Rather fainter now, about 17.5-18.5 mag. Observations will be hard because it is in the eveining and not so high. Although we have another chance to observe it in late 1999 and the comet will be 17 mag then, the altitudde is low as 40 deg anyway.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   3 40.33  -15 23.4   3.196   3.850   125   17.4      4.7 299.9  21:20 (  0, 40)  
Jan.  2   3 38.71  -15  2.8   3.261   3.848   119   17.4      4.3 323.8  20:51 (  0, 40)  

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh

Image: 1998 Dec. 19
It is around the aphelion now. But the position is good. The recent magnitude is 18-19 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   3 15.24   15 32.7   3.454   4.222   136   17.4      5.0 270.6  20:55 (  0, 71)  
Jan.  2   3 13.23   15 34.6   3.525   4.213   128   17.5      3.4 278.4  20:26 (  0, 71)  

* 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 reach to about 17.5 mag soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   7 46.78   26 45.4   1.378   2.325   159   17.7      6.0 282.5   1:30 (  0, 82)  
Jan.  2   7 43.19   26 54.0   1.322   2.290   167   17.5      7.9 278.2   0:59 (  0, 82)  

* 1997 CU26


A Centaur asteroid. CCD observers will be able to catch it because it is stellar in a good position.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   9 32.17    5 17.2  12.886  13.536   129   17.7      2.1 258.9   3:15 (  0, 60)  
Jan.  2   9 31.12    5 15.1  12.797  13.533   136   17.7      2.4 265.0   2:47 (  0, 60)  

* P/1998 U2 ( Mueller )

Image: 1998 Dec. 12
Rapidly fading.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   1 38.11   13 23.9   1.509   2.105   113   17.7     16.0  72.1  19:19 (  0, 68)  
Jan.  2   1 45.91   14  0.6   1.595   2.122   108   17.9     18.1  72.1  18:59 (  0, 69)  

* 117P/Helin-Roman-Alu 1


It is rather lower. But it is brighter than the ephemeris, about 16.5 mag recently. So CCD observers can catch it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   0 17.19   -7 14.6   4.268   4.331    87   17.9      7.9  48.5  18:25 ( 10, 47)  
Jan.  2   0 20.25   -6 36.6   4.386   4.341    80   18.0      9.0  51.7  18:29 ( 20, 46)  

* 60P/Tsuchinshan 2

Image: 1998 Dec. 24
Rapidly brightening. It should be 17.5-18.0 mag now. Although the peak is in February, the brightness will be stable. The position is good.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   6 36.17   26  9.5   0.907   1.888   174   18.3     11.4 241.9   0:20 (  0, 81)  
Jan.  2   6 30.78   25 29.3   0.886   1.867   175   18.1     12.1 240.0  23:43 (  0, 80)  

* (5145) Pholus


A Centaur asteroid. Although it is rather lower, CCD observers will be able to catch it because it is stellar.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26  14 19.72   11 31.3  14.082  13.740    67   18.4      3.3  81.5   5:35 (296, 49)  
Jan.  2  14 21.16   11 35.5  13.998  13.759    73   18.4      2.9  75.6   5:37 (304, 54)  

* 139P/Vaisala-Oterma

Image: 1998 Dec. 11
Recovered after 59 years since 1939. Around 18 mag, a bit fainter. Fading gradually after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   3 20.54   18 20.8   2.618   3.417   138   18.4      3.7 246.9  21:01 (  0, 73)  
Jan.  2   3 19.34   18 12.5   2.694   3.421   131   18.5      1.7 237.7  20:32 (  0, 73)  

* P/1998 W2 ( Hergenrother )


Observations will be hard because it is faint and not so high in the evening.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26  22 41.38    2 40.8   1.468   1.448    69   18.4     48.2  53.1  18:25 ( 48, 47)  
Jan.  2  22 59.51    6  1.2   1.518   1.463    67   18.6     48.1  54.0  18:29 ( 55, 48)  

* P/1998 VS24 ( LINEAR )


A new comet but very faint. It is high in the evening. Gradually fading after this. Very close by a new comet C/1998 K5, 1.6 deg this week and 1.0 deg next week.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   2 35.29    8 53.9   2.749   3.410   125   18.5      1.2 347.2  20:16 (  0, 64)  
Jan.  2   2 35.63    9  5.0   2.837   3.412   118   18.6      2.6  41.7  19:49 (  0, 64)  

* C/1998 U1 ( LINEAR )


Although it is high enough, so faint.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   1 59.67   20 19.3   3.881   4.463   120   18.9     16.9 229.8  19:40 (  0, 75)  
Jan.  2   1 53.90   19  6.8   4.030   4.490   111   19.0     14.3 226.8  19:07 (  0, 74)  

* 1998 WU24


A new asteroid whose orbit is like a comet. So faint. But it is high enough and stellar, so CCD observers may catch it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26   9 45.39   36 21.4   1.423   2.219   133   19.0     28.8 350.7   3:29 (180, 89)  
Jan.  2   9 41.64   39 36.9   1.443   2.285   139   19.1     28.4 343.8   2:57 (180, 85)  

* C/1998 X1 ( ODAS )

Image: 1998 Dec. 20
A new comet. But so faint and fading after this. The position is good.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 26  10  0.84   13 46.8   1.738   2.454   126   19.1      0.1  13.6   3:44 (  0, 69)  
Jan.  2  10  0.15   13 51.0   1.724   2.507   133   19.2      3.1 290.9   3:16 (  0, 69)  

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