Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 Mar. 6: South)

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Updated on March 6, 1999
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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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* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Feb. 25
We can see it in good condition until June. It passes just besided of the North Pole around March. 15. Southern observers cannot see it until May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6  19 46.37   80 24.9   1.531   1.819    89    9.5     59.3   2.9   4:24 (191,-31)  
Mar. 13  20  3.75   87 28.9   1.529   1.847    91    9.6     61.8   3.6   4:31 (183,-34)  

* 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)  
Mar.  6   6 32.19   23 34.5   1.549   2.134   112   10.8     17.3 133.1  19:58 (175, 31)  
Mar. 13   6 39.24   22 13.8   1.619   2.134   107   10.9     18.8 126.6  19:47 (172, 32)  

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

Image: 1999 Feb. 7
Fading after the perihelion passage. It was one mag fainter than the ephemeris in February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6   7 22.19   28 38.2   1.048   1.791   122   11.3     20.2 132.4  20:27 (180, 26)  
Mar. 13   7 30.73   27  3.9   1.111   1.806   118   11.5     21.9 127.3  20:08 (180, 28)  

* 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)  
Mar.  6   4 46.33  -68 35.9   7.913   7.851    82   11.4      6.4 359.6  19:58 ( 18, 52)  
Mar. 13   4 46.82  -67 51.6   7.967   7.907    82   11.5      6.3   7.6  19:47 ( 21, 51)  

* C/1998 P1 ( Williams )

Image: 1999 Feb. 22
Fading rapidly.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6   8  8.32   41 33.8   1.609   2.345   127   11.7     36.7 279.5  21:11 (180, 13)  
Mar. 13   7 48.86   41 59.3   1.802   2.424   117   12.1     26.4 274.1  20:25 (180, 13)  

* 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)  
Mar.  6   0  3.69    1 23.8   2.695   1.766    16   12.1     40.1  71.1  19:58 ( 84,-11)  
Mar. 13   0 21.59    2 55.3   2.690   1.743    14   12.0     40.8  71.2  19:47 ( 86,-11)  

* 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)  
Mar.  6  23 23.29   -1 22.5   3.097   2.114     6   12.7      4.4 106.8  19:58 ( 76,-17)  
Mar. 13  23 25.29   -1 31.0   3.043   2.050     2   12.5      4.6 105.1   4:31 (285,-18)  

* C/1998 U5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Feb. 25
Being higher in the morning sky. It was 14.7 mag on Feb. 22, more than 2 mag fainter than the ephemeris. 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)  
Mar.  6  21  4.38   13 45.6   2.359   1.659    35   12.8      3.4 301.2   4:24 (257, -5)  
Mar. 13  21  2.67   14  0.4   2.357   1.726    40   12.9      4.9 299.9   4:31 (252,  2)  

* 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. It was about 1.5 mag brighter than the ephemeris in early February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6  22 52.53  -50 32.3   1.429   1.006    44   13.1     13.2 249.5   4:24 (323, 13)  
Mar. 13  22 43.50  -51  4.0   1.455   1.097    48   13.5     13.0 249.1   4:31 (320, 19)  

* 21P/Giacobini-Zinner

Image: 1999 Feb. 6
It has already became rather faint, but it was a bit brighter than the ephemeris in February. 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)  
Mar.  6   3 58.33  -11 20.5   1.727   1.715    72   13.2     41.0  71.4  19:58 (110, 44)  
Mar. 13   4 16.43   -9 51.2   1.830   1.779    71   13.5     39.4  71.8  19:47 (112, 43)  

* 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.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6   8 35.89  -49 21.7   3.677   4.207   115   13.6     14.4 269.2  21:39 (  0, 76)  
Mar. 13   8 25.98  -49 16.9   3.665   4.171   114   13.6     13.3 276.3  21:02 (  0, 76)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Image: 1999 Feb. 25
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)  
Mar.  6  15 22.41  -28 52.1   5.789   6.184   109   13.7      1.7 168.9   4:24 (192, 84)  
Mar. 13  15 22.29  -29  2.8   5.684   6.182   115   13.7      1.6 209.6   4:02 (180, 84)  

* 37P/Forbes


Not yet observed in this return. 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)  
Mar.  6  18 47.61  -29 34.5   1.720   1.577    64   14.1     47.0  86.8   4:24 (278, 46)  
Mar. 13  19 12.86  -29  6.4   1.656   1.549    66   13.9     47.7  83.9   4:31 (277, 47)  

* 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)  
Mar.  6  22 30.66  -21  1.6   5.510   4.572    17   14.0     12.1  99.9   4:24 (298, -2)  
Mar. 13  22 36.57  -21 17.0   5.522   4.618    22   14.1     11.9 101.3   4:31 (294,  3)  

* 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. It is so low that the observation is hard now.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6   0 34.70    1 38.5   2.988   2.118    23   14.1     33.1  65.2  19:58 ( 89, -5)  
Mar. 13   0 48.57    3 13.8   3.065   2.163    20   14.3     32.2  65.5  19:47 ( 90, -6)  

* 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 June. 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)  
Mar.  6  23 16.85   -0 11.7   2.964   1.982     6   14.8     36.2  55.3  19:58 ( 76,-19)  
Mar. 13  23 30.74    2 13.0   2.967   1.980     5   14.8     36.3  55.1  19:47 ( 77,-21)  

* 10P/Tempel 2

Image: 1999 Feb. 22
It was 18.7 mag on Feb. 22, about 3 mag fainter than the ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6  16 36.54   -8 17.8   1.948   2.278    96   15.5     20.0  86.3   4:24 (219, 58)  
Mar. 13  16 45.73   -8  6.4   1.828   2.236   100   15.3     19.1  84.1   4:31 (208, 60)  

* P/1998 W1 ( Spahr )

Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Fading now. It was 1.5 mag fainter than the ephemeris in February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6   5  8.27   28 12.1   1.418   1.780    93   15.5     30.8  62.2  19:58 (155, 22)  
Mar. 13   5 23.21   29 45.1   1.497   1.797    89   15.7     31.2  66.7  19:47 (156, 21)  

* 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)  
Mar.  6  16  9.87  -17 33.9   9.101   9.344   101   16.1      1.3  71.6   4:24 (218, 69)  
Mar. 13  16 10.28  -17 30.6   8.998   9.354   108   16.1      0.7  41.0   4:31 (195, 72)  

* 93P/Lovas 1

Image: 1999 Feb. 7
Rapidly fading now.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6   6 36.27   33 25.7   1.630   2.206   112   16.2     17.5 124.0  19:58 (176, 22)  
Mar. 13   6 44.74   32 18.6   1.741   2.248   107   16.5     18.5 120.4  19:47 (174, 23)  

* 140P/Bowell-Skiff

Image: 1999 Feb. 7
It keeps 17 mag until July.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6   6 45.39   26 23.9   1.471   2.095   115   16.3     10.9 110.5  19:58 (178, 29)  
Mar. 13   6 51.54   25 56.0   1.516   2.072   109   16.3     14.1 107.1  19:47 (175, 29)  

* 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)  
Mar.  6  20 50.57   -4 37.9   4.140   3.356    33   16.3     22.6  64.2   4:24 (270,  8)  
Mar. 13  20 59.91   -3 28.3   4.114   3.382    37   16.4     22.0  62.9   4:31 (265, 13)  

* P/1998 Y2 ( Li )

Image: 1999 Feb. 6
The current brightness and condition will keep until early April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6   3 36.65   12 35.3   2.766   2.600    70   16.4     23.8  56.3  19:58 (127, 24)  
Mar. 13   3 46.39   14  5.4   2.862   2.615    65   16.5     24.3  58.9  19:47 (126, 21)  

* C/1998 M2 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1998 Dec. 12
No observations reported since Dec. 13. 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)  
Mar.  6  21 55.62   39 26.8   4.014   3.431    48   16.4     24.9  59.5   4:24 (240,-28)  
Mar. 13  22  8.57   40 55.3   4.060   3.473    47   16.5     24.5  58.6   4:31 (236,-25)  

* P/1998 S1 ( LINEAR-Mueller )

Image: 1999 Feb. 6
It will be lower than 30 deg after Mar. 20.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6   2 24.74   22 45.7   3.100   2.686    56   16.4     23.9  71.9  19:58 (122,  4)  
Mar. 13   2 36.39   23 37.0   3.188   2.701    52   16.5     24.3  72.5  19:47 (122,  3)  

* C/1998 W3 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Feb. 7
It will be around 17 mag until May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6   6 29.97   44 49.3   4.636   5.050   109   16.9     10.1 279.2  19:58 (176, 10)  
Mar. 13   6 24.02   44 58.8   4.767   5.063   101   16.9      8.2 278.1  19:47 (172,  9)  

* 60P/Tsuchinshan 2

Image: 1999 Feb. 7
It keeps 17 mag until April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6   6 39.84   19  6.4   1.113   1.770   114   17.3     19.1 105.0  19:58 (176, 36)  
Mar. 13   6 49.63   18 31.7   1.168   1.771   109   17.4     21.8 103.1  19:47 (174, 36)  

* C/1998 K1 ( Mueller )

Image: 1999 Feb. 25
It will keep the brightness until May, 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)  
Mar.  6  14 57.33  -32 37.7   3.309   3.803   112   17.4     10.5 184.7   4:04 (180, 88)  
Mar. 13  14 56.33  -33 49.3   3.248   3.831   119   17.4     10.4 195.2   3:36 (180, 89)  

* P/1999 D1 ( Hermann )

Image: 1999 Feb. 25
New comet. It keeps 17 mag until April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6  12  3.22   -2 59.5   0.689   1.663   162   17.4     32.4 210.1   1:11 (180, 58)  
Mar. 13  11 55.14   -6 11.8   0.687   1.673   168   17.4     32.2 213.8   0:36 (180, 61)  

* 134P/Kowal-Vavrova


No observations reported since last May. It appears at dawn.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6  18 10.02  -20 15.0   2.845   2.719    72   17.4     20.0  84.5   4:24 (260, 49)  
Mar. 13  18 19.57  -20  0.3   2.777   2.738    77   17.5     18.6  83.0   4:31 (255, 54)  

* (10199) 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)  
Mar.  6   9 17.58    5 41.2  12.609  13.503   153   17.7      3.1 284.3  22:22 (180, 49)  
Mar. 13   9 16.25    5 46.5  12.661  13.500   146   17.7      2.8 285.7  21:53 (180, 49)  

* P/1998 U4 ( Spahr )


Fading now, but still brighter than 18 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6   3 59.25   -8 40.1   4.012   3.841    72   17.9     13.3  59.0  19:58 (113, 42)  
Mar. 13   4  4.90   -7 52.6   4.095   3.842    68   17.9     14.2  62.0  19:47 (112, 40)  

* 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)  
Mar.  6   3 30.50   17 56.6   4.373   4.135    69   17.9     10.7  70.9  19:58 (129, 19)  
Mar. 13   3 35.74   18 21.7   4.463   4.126    64   17.9     11.8  72.0  19:47 (127, 16)  

* C/1998 M3 ( Larsen )

Image: 1999 Feb. 22
It was 18.1 mag on Feb. 22, as bright as the ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6  16 47.09   18 43.9   5.820   6.006    96   18.1     12.5 352.2   4:24 (206, 32)  
Mar. 13  16 45.93   20 11.7   5.742   6.020   101   18.1     13.1 346.7   4:31 (195, 33)  

* 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)  
Mar.  6   3 12.31   16 40.2   4.883   4.557    65   18.1      9.8  68.3  19:58 (125, 17)  
Mar. 13   3 16.95   17  5.9   4.990   4.566    59   18.2     10.6  69.5  19:47 (123, 14)  

* 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)  
Mar.  6   3 20.48   12 51.2   3.690   3.413    66   18.2     15.2  74.4  19:58 (124, 21)  
Mar. 13   3 27.58   13 19.5   3.861   3.490    61   18.3     15.5  75.1  19:47 (122, 19)  

* (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)  
Mar.  6  14 24.27   13 14.1  13.264  13.927   130   18.3      2.5 324.9   3:31 (180, 42)  
Mar. 13  14 23.49   13 28.1  13.212  13.945   136   18.3      2.7 317.4   3:03 (180, 42)  

* 105P/Singer Brewster


Not yet been observed in this return, although the perihelion passage in on Apr. 6. Now is the chance to observe it for the first time. It will be 17.5 mag in May and June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6  16 59.49  -16 49.5   1.799   2.047    89   18.4     26.0  83.5   4:24 (238, 61)  
Mar. 13  17 11.71  -16 25.2   1.722   2.041    93   18.3     24.7  80.7   4:31 (229, 64)  

* P/1998 X1 ( ODAS )

Image: 1999 Jan. 22
It brightened about 1 mag in February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6   9 16.33   17  0.4   1.722   2.635   151   18.4      7.4 281.8  22:20 (180, 38)  
Mar. 13   9 13.42   17  8.2   1.801   2.666   143   18.5      4.8 278.5  21:50 (180, 38)  

* 135P/Shoemaker-Levy 8


It will locate higher than 50 deg as 18.5 mag until May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar.  6  11 36.51   -3 45.0   2.132   3.108   167   18.8     10.5 297.4   0:44 (180, 59)  
Mar. 13  11 32.00   -3  8.8   2.102   3.091   173   18.7     11.3 299.0   0:12 (180, 58)  

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