Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 Feb. 20: North)

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 Updated on February 19, 1999
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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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* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 12
We can see it in good condition until June. Northern observers can see it all night now. Southern observers cannot see it until May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  19 32.36   67 35.1   1.586   1.776    83    9.5     50.3   5.7   5:16 (208, 42)  
Feb. 27  19 38.80   73 43.9   1.551   1.795    86    9.5     55.3   4.1   5:09 (199, 41)

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 7
We can see it as around 10-11 mag in good condition until May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   6 22.09   26 30.3   1.425   2.141   123   10.7     14.9 152.9  20:22 (  0, 81)  
Feb. 27   6 26.42   24 59.9   1.484   2.136   118   10.8     16.0 141.8  19:59 (  0, 80)

* C/1998 P1 ( Williams )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 12
Beginning to fade out rapidly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   9  7.09   38 22.2   1.277   2.186   149   10.9     65.3 292.2  23:03 (180, 86)  
Feb. 27   8 34.27   40 29.9   1.432   2.265   137   11.3     49.7 285.5  22:04 (180, 84)

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

 Image: 1999 Feb. 7
A bit fading. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   7  9.37   31 52.4   0.939   1.770   133   11.0     16.5 148.5  21:09 (  0, 87)  
Feb. 27   7 14.99   30 14.5   0.990   1.779   127   11.1     18.3 139.3  20:47 (  0, 85)

* C/1995 O1 ( Hale-Bopp )
Only southern people can observe it. Norhtern people can never see it again. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   4 48.96  -70  6.0   7.802   7.738    82   11.3      6.7 343.0  19:10 (  2,-15)  
Feb. 27   4 46.99  -69 20.9   7.858   7.794    82   11.4      6.5 351.4  19:16 (  5,-15)

* C/1999 A1 ( Tilbrook )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 16
Only southern people can observe it. It will appear at dawn as 17 mag in mid June for Norhtern observers. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  23 11.41  -49  9.4   1.316   0.846    39   12.2     15.9 239.0  19:10 ( 46,-26)  
Feb. 27  23  1.79  -49 57.0   1.384   0.921    41   12.6     14.2 246.3  19:16 ( 49,-33)

* 4P/Faye

 Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Not observable. It will appear again in September as 13 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  23 28.93   -1 33.2   2.702   1.817    21   12.4     38.5  71.5  19:10 ( 86,  3)  
Feb. 27  23 46.14   -0  6.0   2.699   1.790    18   12.3     39.3  71.2  19:16 ( 90,  1)

* C/1998 U5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 16
Being higher in the morning sky. No observations reported after Jan. 19. Souther observers cannot see it until late March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  21  6.24   13 31.8   2.313   1.532    29   12.4      1.1 276.6   5:16 (260,  9)  
Feb. 27  21  5.53   13 35.8   2.345   1.594    32   12.6      2.1 297.9   5:09 (263, 14)

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Not observable. It will appear again in early May as 10 mag. It was 16 mag by CCD after all. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  23 19.76   -1  2.0   3.152   2.246    19   13.0      3.7 118.1  19:10 ( 88,  1)  
Feb. 27  23 21.42   -1 13.1   3.133   2.179    12   12.9      4.1 110.9  19:16 ( 92, -5)

* 21P/Giacobini-Zinner

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
It has already became rather faint. It keeps the same apparent location until April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   3 19.42  -14 34.0   1.531   1.588    74   13.2     44.9  71.5  19:10 ( 33, 34)  
Feb. 27   3 39.38  -12 55.2   1.627   1.651    73   13.6     42.9  71.2  19:16 ( 37, 34)

* 88P/Howell

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
It was still bright as around 12.0 mag in January, but very faint as 15 mag by CCD. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   0  5.93   -1 42.2   2.825   2.028    29   13.7     34.9  64.9  19:10 ( 81, 11)  
Feb. 27   0 20.50   -0  0.2   2.908   2.073    26   13.9     34.0  65.0  19:16 ( 85,  8)

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 5
It locates high in the Southern Hemisphere. It keeps locating at altitude 6 deg until April it in the Northern Hemisphere. It is rather bright as 13.0 mag visually now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   8 57.53  -48 52.6   3.727   4.279   117   13.7     16.2 255.1  22:56 (  0,  6)  
Feb. 27   8 46.51  -49 14.1   3.697   4.242   117   13.7     15.4 262.2  22:17 (  0,  6)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

 Image: 1999 Feb. 12
It is so faint as 17 mag now. It keeps the current altitude until July in the Norhtern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  15 20.90  -28 24.5   6.011   6.187    95   13.8      3.4 132.0   5:16 (358, 27)  
Feb. 27  15 21.94  -28 39.3   5.899   6.186   102   13.8      2.4 144.3   4:56 (  0, 26)

* C/1997 J2 ( Meunier-Dupouy )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Not observable. It will appear again in late May as 14 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  22 18.54  -20 34.7   5.452   4.480     9   13.9     12.4  98.3  19:10 ( 80,-22)  
Feb. 27  22 24.64  -20 47.7   5.487   4.526    12   14.0     12.3  99.0   5:09 (281,-22)

* 37P/Forbes
Not yet observed in this return. The ephemeris says it will be bright as 14 mag, so CCD observers may catch it soon. Now is the chance to observe it for the first time. But there are so many stars around and the observation is very hard. 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)  
Feb. 20  17 58.11  -29 41.8   1.862   1.640    61   14.4     45.2  92.3   5:16 (324, 15)  
Feb. 27  18 22.63  -29 46.0   1.789   1.607    63   14.2     46.1  89.6   5:09 (323, 14)

* 102P/Shoemaker 1
Not yet observed in this return. Although it is not observable now, we can observe it for a while as 15-16 mag after appearing again at dawn as 15 mag in next summer. But it should be muyh fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  22 49.09   -4 57.3   2.952   1.990    11   14.8     35.9  55.8  19:10 ( 89, -7)  
Feb. 27  23  2.97   -2 35.3   2.959   1.985     8   14.8     36.0  55.5  19:16 ( 94,-10)

* 93P/Lovas 1

 Image: 1999 Feb. 7
Fading now. Recently it was a bit fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   6 21.77   35 51.6   1.422   2.125   122   15.0     15.5 135.5  20:22 (180, 89)  
Feb. 27   6 28.56   34 36.5   1.523   2.165   117   15.3     16.5 128.9  20:01 (  0, 90)

* P/1998 W1 ( Spahr )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Passed the peak and fading now. Recently it was a bit fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   4 41.75   24 23.0   1.267   1.753   101   15.2     29.7  51.7  19:10 ( 32, 78)  
Feb. 27   4 54.40   26 24.7   1.341   1.765    97   15.3     30.3  57.2  19:16 ( 54, 77)

* 10P/Tempel 2
It should be getting brighter now, but it is actually fainter than 18 mag now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  16 17.00   -8 26.2   2.194   2.361    87   15.9     21.4  90.3   5:16 (338, 44)  
Feb. 27  16 26.94   -8 24.4   2.070   2.319    91   15.7     20.7  88.4   5:09 (341, 45)

* 140P/Bowell-Skiff

 Image: 1999 Feb. 7
It keeps 16 mag for a while after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   6 38.27   27 13.4   1.395   2.146   127   15.9      4.6 134.5  20:38 (  0, 82)  
Feb. 27   6 40.93   26 49.7   1.431   2.119   121   15.8      7.7 117.3  20:13 (  0, 82)

* 95P/(2060) Chiron

 Image: 1999 Jan. 22
17.0 mag on Jan. 22. Although it was 0.5 mag fainter than the ephemeris in 1997 and 1998, it is now 1 mag fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  16  7.97  -17 37.5   9.313   9.323    87   16.1      2.7  87.8   5:16 (344, 36)  
Feb. 27  16  9.10  -17 36.3   9.206   9.334    94   16.1      2.0  82.5   5:09 (350, 37)

* P/1998 Y2 ( Li )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
The current brightness and condition will keep until early April. Visual observers reported it much brighter, 13.5-14.0 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   3 18.84    9 21.7   2.573   2.574    79   16.2     22.7  50.5  19:10 ( 52, 54)  
Feb. 27   3 27.44   11  0.7   2.669   2.587    74   16.3     23.3  53.6  19:16 ( 61, 51)

* P/1998 S1 ( LINEAR-Mueller )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
14 mag visually, but 16 mag by CCD. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   2  2.50   21  1.4   2.918   2.658    65   16.2     22.7  70.7  19:10 ( 84, 47)  
Feb. 27   2 13.43   21 53.7   3.010   2.672    60   16.3     23.3  71.3  19:16 ( 89, 43)

* C/1998 M2 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 12
14.5 mag visually and 15 mag by CCD. It will be higher gradually and we can trace it while fading gradually after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  21 29.53   36 32.8   3.918   3.350    48   16.2     25.6  61.4   5:16 (237, 17)  
Feb. 27  21 42.60   37 59.1   3.966   3.390    48   16.3     25.3  60.4   5:09 (237, 19)

* C/1998 M1 ( LINEAR )
Appearing at dawn. Last observation is on Sept. 16. It keeps 16 mag until August, locating in good position. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  20 30.82   -6 51.8   4.176   3.309    25   16.3     23.6  66.9   5:16 (282,  5)  
Feb. 27  20 40.86   -5 45.8   4.160   3.332    29   16.3     23.1  65.6   5:09 (282,  7)

* 60P/Tsuchinshan 2

 Image: 1999 Feb. 7
It keeps the same brightness for a while after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   6 24.86   20 17.9   1.015   1.777   124   17.1     12.7 114.9  20:25 (  0, 75)  
Feb. 27   6 31.51   19 41.4   1.062   1.772   119   17.2     16.0 108.5  20:04 (  0, 75)

* (3200) Phaethon

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Mother asteroid of Geminids. Although it will be bright as 10 mag in June at around the perihelion passage, it is too close to the sun and not observable. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   2  1.91   20 12.7   2.007   1.819    64   17.4     14.0  96.5  19:10 ( 83, 46)  
Feb. 27   2  9.30   20  5.0   2.046   1.759    59   17.4     15.8  92.3  19:16 ( 87, 41)

* C/1998 K1 ( Mueller )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 22
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)  
Feb. 20  14 56.27  -30  6.8   3.447   3.751   100   17.4     11.4 165.8   4:58 (  0, 25)  
Feb. 27  14 57.29  -31 23.3   3.375   3.777   106   17.4     10.8 174.8   4:32 (  0, 24)

* 134P/Kowal-Vavrova
No observations reported since last May. It appears at dawn. It is close to a globular cluster NGC 6440(9.7 mag, 5.4') on Feb. 20. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  17 48.88  -20 35.9   2.975   2.685    63   17.4     22.5  87.5   5:16 (321, 23)  
Feb. 27  17 59.77  -20 27.1   2.911   2.702    68   17.4     21.3  86.0   5:09 (322, 25)

* 135P/Shoemaker-Levy 8
No observations reported recently. Maybe much fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  11 44.22   -4 40.9   2.234   3.142   152   17.7      7.5 293.9   1:47 (  0, 50)  
Feb. 27  11 40.65   -4 16.1   2.176   3.125   159   17.6      9.2 295.8   1:16 (  0, 51)

* 1997 CU26

 Image: 1999 Jan. 22
A Centaur asteroid. The perihelion passage is in 2004. It will keep the current brightness over 10 years after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   9 20.58    5 30.8  12.548  13.510   166   17.6      3.5 281.7  23:20 (  0, 61)  
Feb. 27   9 19.03    5 35.9  12.572  13.507   160   17.6      3.3 283.0  22:51 (  0, 61)

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
It is around the aphelion now. The recent magnitude is a bit brighter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   3 21.68   17  9.8   4.181   4.153    81   17.8      8.4  68.0  19:10 ( 61, 60)  
Feb. 27   3 25.80   17 32.5   4.278   4.144    75   17.8      9.6  69.6  19:16 ( 69, 55)

* C/1998 K5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 16
Fading now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   3  6.89   11 52.8   3.339   3.259    76   17.9     14.4  72.9  19:10 ( 58, 54)  
Feb. 27   3 13.57   12 22.2   3.516   3.336    71   18.0     14.8  73.6  19:16 ( 66, 49)

* 65P/Gunn

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
It is around the aphelion now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   3  4.40   15 51.9   4.655   4.540    77   18.0      7.8  65.3  19:10 ( 64, 56)  
Feb. 27   3  8.11   16 15.5   4.771   4.549    71   18.1      8.9  67.0  19:16 ( 72, 51)

* C/1998 M3 ( Larsen )
Not yet observed since it appeared at dawn. We can observe it in good condition for a while. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  16 47.52   15 57.9   5.990   5.979    84   18.2     11.3   3.8   5:16 (307, 62)  
Feb. 27  16 47.60   17 19.0   5.903   5.993    90   18.1     11.9 357.9   5:09 (313, 66)

* (5145) Pholus

 Image: 1999 Jan. 30
A Centaur asteroid. The perihelion passage is in 1991. It will keep 18 mag until around 2000. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20  14 25.19   12 46.2  13.395  13.889   118   18.3      2.0 345.6   4:27 (  0, 68)  
Feb. 27  14 24.84   13  0.0  13.325  13.908   124   18.3      2.2 334.1   4:00 (  0, 68)

* D/1998 Y1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Feb. 7
Faded out rapidly in January. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Feb. 20   7  0.53   42 52.8   1.310   2.070   127   18.5     11.2  51.4  21:00 (180, 82)  
Feb. 27   7  6.90   43 32.8   1.414   2.116   122   18.8     11.9  67.8  20:39 (180, 81)

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