Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 Mar. 27: North)

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 Updated on March 26, 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 Mar. 16
We can see it in good condition until June. Southern observers cannot see it until May. It became smaller and fainter, about 12 mag, in March by CCD, but visual observers reported it as bright as the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27   7 57.79   78  3.6   1.590   1.914    92    9.8     60.9 176.4  19:41 (180, 47)  
Apr.  3   8  5.36   71  7.7   1.653   1.952    91   10.0     58.0 175.0  19:48 (176, 54)

* 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. 27   4 50.76  -66 28.3   8.074   8.019    83   11.6      6.1  23.2  19:41 ( 18,-18)  
Apr.  3   4 53.93  -65 50.4   8.127   8.075    83   11.6      6.1  30.7  19:48 ( 21,-19)

* 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. 27   0 58.41    5 59.9   2.680   1.705     9   11.7     42.0  71.8  19:41 (104, -9)  
Apr.  3   1 17.32    7 31.1   2.675   1.690     7   11.6     42.5  72.3  19:48 (107,-11)

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
Fading rapidly. I modified the ephemeris to be fainter, but it was 12-13 mag in March by CCD, about 1.5 mag fainter than the new ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27   6 56.51   19 43.4   1.769   2.140    97   11.8     21.8 118.2  19:41 ( 46, 69)  
Apr.  3   7  6.41   18 31.9   1.848   2.146    92   12.0     23.1 115.8  19:48 ( 55, 65)

* 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. 27  23 29.44   -1 48.5   2.881   1.927    13   12.1      4.6 108.0   4:30 (265,-10)  
Apr.  3  23 31.41   -1 59.5   2.774   1.868    20   11.9      4.4 113.2   4:19 (267, -7)

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
Fading rapidly. I modified the ephemeris to be fainter, but it was 14 mag in March by CCD, about 2 mag fainter than the new ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27   7 50.96   24  1.2   1.252   1.841   109   12.3     25.0 120.8  19:41 (  9, 79)  
Apr.  3   8  2.22   22 32.2   1.330   1.861   105   12.6     26.1 118.8  19:48 ( 30, 76)

* C/1999 A1 ( Tilbrook )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 16
Only southern people can observe it. It will appear at dawn as 16 mag in mid June for Norhtern observers. It brightened about 1 mag after perihelion passage. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27  22 23.80  -52 15.3   1.454   1.287    59   13.1     15.5 245.0   4:30 (318,-24)  
Apr.  3  22 12.13  -53  6.5   1.434   1.386    66   13.4     18.3 243.5   4:19 (321,-21)

* 37P/Forbes
Not yet observed in this return. 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. It is about to get out of the Milky Way. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27  20  3.26  -27 20.0   1.542   1.503    68   13.6     48.5  78.4   4:30 (316, 12)  
Apr.  3  20 27.99  -26  2.4   1.492   1.484    69   13.4     48.7  75.7   4:19 (314, 12)

* 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. 27   8  9.45  -48 38.0   3.664   4.102   109   13.5     10.6 291.0  19:51 (  0,  6)  
Apr.  3   8  3.15  -48  8.8   3.672   4.069   106   13.4      9.2 299.0  19:48 (  5,  7)

* C/1998 P1 ( Williams )

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
Fading rapidly. I modified the ephemeris to be fainter, but it was 14-15 mag in March by CCD, about 2 mag fainter than the new ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27   7 25.22   41 57.0   2.213   2.583   100   13.5     12.5 263.9  19:41 (138, 80)  
Apr.  3   7 18.94   41 45.7   2.423   2.661    92   13.9      8.0 257.1  19:48 (120, 74)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
A small outburst occurred. It was 15.3 mag on Mar. 16 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27  15 20.30  -29 16.8   5.493   6.179   129   13.6      3.0 257.8   3:05 (  0, 26)  
Apr.  3  15 18.49  -29 19.8   5.410   6.177   136   13.6      3.9 266.7   2:36 (  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)  
Mar. 27  22 47.93  -21 54.0   5.512   4.711    33   14.1     11.3 105.4   4:30 (288,-13)  
Apr.  3  22 53.33  -22 16.5   5.492   4.757    39   14.2     11.0 108.2   4:19 (290,-11)

* 21P/Giacobini-Zinner

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It was a bit brighter than the ephemeris visually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27   4 50.54   -7 12.4   2.047   1.907    67   14.2     36.4  73.6  19:41 ( 56, 29)  
Apr.  3   5  6.70   -6  4.1   2.158   1.971    65   14.6     35.1  74.8  19:48 ( 60, 27)

* 88P/Howell

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Not observable. Although it appears again in July, it will be fainter than 18 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27   1 15.44    6 13.1   3.208   2.253    13   14.6     30.6  66.4  19:41 (101, -5)  
Apr.  3   1 28.47    7 37.0   3.273   2.298    10   14.8     29.8  66.9  19:48 (106, -8)

* 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. 27  23 58.63    7  4.2   2.966   1.981     7   14.8     36.3  55.0   4:30 (254,-11)  
Apr.  3   0 12.66    9 29.8   2.963   1.985     9   14.8     36.3  55.0   4:19 (252, -9)

* C/1998 U5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It is very diffused and hard to observe. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27  20 56.86   14 42.9   2.310   1.868    51   15.2      8.8 293.3   4:30 (273, 30)  
Apr.  3  20 52.35   15  8.5   2.266   1.941    58   15.4     11.3 289.6   4:19 (276, 35)

* C/1999 E1 ( Li )

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
New comet. Bright and easy to observe. It was 14 mag visually. We can observe it as 16 mag even in 2000. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27   6 30.36    7 19.1   3.899   4.055    91   15.5     13.2  35.1  19:41 ( 42, 56)  
Apr.  3   6 34.26    8 32.3   3.999   4.055    86   15.6     13.5  41.5  19:48 ( 53, 52)

* 95P/(2060) Chiron

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
A bit fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27  16 10.03  -17 21.2   8.807   9.374   122   16.0      1.3 309.2   3:54 (  0, 38)  
Apr.  3  16  9.38  -17 15.2   8.722   9.385   129   16.0      1.9 298.7   3:26 (  0, 38)

* 140P/Bowell-Skiff

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It keeps 17 mag until July. It was 14 mag visually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27   7  8.47   24 52.2   1.613   2.033    99   16.1     19.7 104.6  19:41 ( 50, 75)  
Apr.  3   7 18.89   24 15.3   1.665   2.017    95   16.1     22.2 104.4  19:48 ( 61, 71)

* P/1998 W1 ( Spahr )

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
In March, it was 14.5 mag visually, 1 mag brighter than the ephemeris. But 16.5 mag by CCD, 1 mag fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27   5 55.68   32  8.8   1.664   1.837    83   16.1     31.9  74.8  19:41 ( 93, 64)  
Apr.  3   6 12.91   32 59.9   1.750   1.860    80   16.3     32.0  78.4  19:48 ( 96, 61)

* C/1998 M1 ( LINEAR )
Appearing at dawn. Last observation is on Sept. 16. It keeps 16 mag until August, locating in good position. We failed to observe it on Mar. 22, it should be fainter than 16.8 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27  21 17.41   -1  5.3   4.050   3.435    46   16.4     20.6  59.9   4:30 (284, 17)  
Apr.  3  21 25.52    0  7.4   4.011   3.464    50   16.4     19.9  58.3   4:19 (284, 20)

* C/1998 M2 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Mar. 12
Appearing at dawn. It was 16.4 mag on Mar. 12, as bright as the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27  22 34.19   43 53.7   4.151   3.559    47   16.6     23.4  56.8   4:30 (233, 25)  
Apr.  3  22 46.82   45 22.7   4.194   3.603    48   16.7     22.8  56.0   4:19 (232, 27)

* P/1998 Y2 ( Li )

 Image: 1999 Mar. 16
It was 14.5 mag visually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27   4  7.30   16 51.1   3.052   2.648    57   16.7     24.9  63.4  19:41 ( 86, 36)  
Apr.  3   4 18.35   18  6.6   3.143   2.667    53   16.7     25.1  65.5  19:48 ( 91, 32)

* 93P/Lovas 1

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
Fading rapidly. It was observed much brighter, about 14 mag, in March visually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27   7  3.40   30 12.7   1.977   2.333    97   17.0     20.1 115.5  19:41 ( 71, 77)  
Apr.  3   7 13.35   29 12.8   2.100   2.376    93   17.2     20.7 114.1  19:48 ( 76, 72)

* C/1998 W3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
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. 27   6 15.74   45 10.9   5.039   5.091    87   17.1      4.6 278.6  19:41 (125, 68)  
Apr.  3   6 13.27   45 15.5   5.175   5.105    80   17.1      3.0 282.3  19:48 (122, 62)

* P/1999 D1 ( Hermann )

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It keeps 17 mag until April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27  11 38.55  -11 53.1   0.718   1.703   165   17.3     26.9 216.4  23:19 (  0, 43)  
Apr.  3  11 31.63  -14 13.6   0.751   1.723   159   17.4     22.5 214.6  22:45 (  0, 41)

* 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. 27  18 36.23  -19 24.7   2.639   2.778    87   17.5     15.3  79.7   4:30 (330, 30)  
Apr.  3  18 43.24  -19  5.1   2.570   2.799    92   17.5     13.5  77.8   4:19 (332, 31)

* 60P/Tsuchinshan 2

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It keeps 17 mag until April. It was brighter than 15 mag visually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27   7 12.82   17 19.3   1.287   1.779   101   17.6     26.4 101.9  19:41 ( 33, 70)  
Apr.  3   7 25.82   16 39.6   1.351   1.786    97   17.7     28.1 102.0  19:48 ( 43, 66)

* (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. 27   9 14.10    5 56.4  12.800  13.494   132   17.7      2.0 289.0  20:56 (  0, 61)  
Apr.  3   9 13.32    6  0.6  12.885  13.490   125   17.7      1.5 291.5  20:27 (  0, 61)

* 10P/Tempel 2

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It will be brightening very slowly until late May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 27  17  2.45   -7 30.1   1.597   2.152   109   18.0     16.7  79.1   4:30 (354, 47)  
Apr.  3  17  9.80   -7  6.1   1.487   2.110   114   17.9     15.2  76.1   4:19 (357, 48)

* 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. 27  17 33.60  -15 16.1   1.574   2.034   102   18.1     21.4  74.3   4:30 (345, 38)  
Apr.  3  17 43.01  -14 32.6   1.505   2.033   106   18.0     19.5  70.3   4:19 (347, 40)

* C/1998 M3 ( Larsen )

 Image: 1999 Mar. 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. 27  16 41.55   23 12.8   5.607   6.049   111   18.1     14.2 336.4   4:26 (  0, 78)  
Apr.  3  16 38.31   24 43.8   5.553   6.065   116   18.1     14.7 331.6   3:55 (  0, 80)

* (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. 27  14 21.39   13 54.8  13.143  13.983   146   18.3      3.1 305.7   2:06 (  0, 69)  
Apr.  3  14 20.12   14  6.9  13.126  14.001   150   18.3      3.2 301.0   1:37 (  0, 69)

* 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. 27  11 22.98   -1 48.0   2.083   3.059   165   18.6     10.9 302.8  23:04 (  0, 53)  
Apr.  3  11 18.94   -1  7.2   2.094   3.043   157   18.6      9.9 305.4  22:32 (  0, 54)

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