Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 Apr. 10: North)

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Updated on April 11, 1999
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Northern Hemisphere.

Please see also the Comet Rendezvous Calendar, Latest Pictures of Comets.

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* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Mar. 31
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)  
Apr. 10   8 12.31   64 37.2   1.736   1.994    89   10.2     54.0 173.2  19:55 (168, 60)  
Apr. 17   8 19.10   58 37.9   1.836   2.038    86   10.4     49.5 171.2  20:02 (156, 63)  

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Feb. 6
It is appearing at dawn in the Southern Hemisphere. But still not observable in the Northern Hemisphere, it will appear again in early May as 10 mag. It was 16 mag by CCD after all until February...
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 10  23 33.21   -2 13.3   2.649   1.812    26   11.7      4.3 121.7   4:08 (270, -4)  
Apr. 17  23 34.76   -2 31.3   2.507   1.758    33   11.4      4.2 135.1   3:57 (272, -1)  

* 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)  
Apr. 10   1 36.56    9  0.1   2.671   1.678     6   11.6     42.9  73.0  19:55 (111,-13)  
Apr. 17   1 56.11   10 25.8   2.667   1.668     4   11.5     43.2  73.9  20:02 (114,-15)  

* 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)  
Apr. 10   4 57.77  -65 15.4   8.178   8.131    83   11.7      6.0  38.0  19:55 ( 24,-21)  
Apr. 17   5  2.19  -64 43.8   8.230   8.186    84   11.7      6.0  45.2  20:02 ( 26,-24)  

* 37P/Forbes


Observed for the first time in this return on Mar. 21 as 13.3 mag visually, as bright as expected. t 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)  
Apr. 10  20 52.15  -24 30.2   1.447   1.469    71   13.3     48.5  73.2   4:08 (312, 12)  
Apr. 17  21 15.56  -22 45.0   1.405   1.458    72   13.2     48.1  70.9   3:57 (310, 12)  

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )

Image: 1998 Dec. 5
It locates high in the Southern Hemisphere. For the Northern observsers, this early April is the last chance. Then it has gone to the south.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 10   7 58.24  -47 36.3   3.685   4.036   103   13.4      7.7 308.1  19:55 ( 12,  6)  
Apr. 17   7 54.73  -47  2.7   3.702   4.004   100   13.4      6.3 319.2  20:02 ( 18,  4)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It has bursted out on Mar. 16 and raeched to 12.6 mag visually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 10  15 16.19  -29 19.9   5.339   6.176   143   13.6      4.7 272.4   2:06 (  0, 26)  
Apr. 17  15 13.47  -29 17.0   5.278   6.174   150   13.5      5.5 276.6   1:36 (  0, 26)  

* 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)  
Apr. 10  21 57.95  -54  8.9   1.406   1.486    74   13.7     22.1 243.7   4:08 (325,-17)  
Apr. 17  21 40.10  -55 21.4   1.371   1.585    82   13.9     26.8 245.8   3:57 (329,-14)  

* 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)  
Apr. 10  22 58.50  -22 42.4   5.463   4.804    44   14.2     10.7 111.6   4:08 (292, -9)  
Apr. 17  23  3.40  -23 11.9   5.426   4.851    50   14.2     10.4 115.7   3:57 (294, -7)  

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

Image: 1999 Mar. 31
It has faded out rapidly. Maybe it is fainter than this ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 10   7 16.97   17 21.9   1.930   2.154    88   14.4     24.3 114.1  19:55 ( 61, 60)  
Apr. 17   7 28.07   16 12.4   2.013   2.164    84   14.5     25.4 112.9  20:02 ( 66, 55)  

* 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)  
Apr. 10   0 26.79   11 54.8   2.958   1.990    12   14.8     36.2  55.2   4:08 (251, -7)  
Apr. 17   0 41.03   14 18.8   2.951   1.996    14   14.9     36.1  55.4   3:57 (249, -5)  

* 21P/Giacobini-Zinner

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
Fading out as expected.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 10   5 22.34   -5  3.4   2.272   2.034    63   14.9     33.9  76.1  19:55 ( 65, 24)  
Apr. 17   5 37.53   -4 10.3   2.386   2.096    61   15.3     32.8  77.6  20:02 ( 69, 21)  

* 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)  
Apr. 10   1 41.26    8 56.9   3.333   2.343     7   15.0     29.0  67.4  19:55 (110,-12)  
Apr. 17   1 53.82   10 12.7   3.388   2.387     3   15.1     28.3  68.1  20:02 (115,-15)  

* 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)  
Apr. 10  20 46.48   15 35.7   2.213   2.014    65   15.5     14.2 286.1   4:08 (279, 40)  
Apr. 17  20 39.00   16  3.1   2.152   2.089    72   15.6     17.7 282.6   3:57 (283, 45)  

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

Image: 1999 Mar. 31
It has faded out rapidly. Maybe it is fainter than this ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 10   8 14.01   21  4.2   1.411   1.884   101   15.6     27.1 117.5  19:55 ( 43, 72)  
Apr. 17   8 26.18   19 36.9   1.496   1.908    97   15.9     27.8 116.5  20:02 ( 52, 67)  

* C/1998 P1 ( Williams )

Image: 1999 Mar. 31
It has faded out rapidly. Maybe it is fainter than this ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 10   7 15.26   41 32.6   2.633   2.740    85   15.7      4.6 245.3  19:55 (115, 67)  
Apr. 17   7 13.61   41 19.4   2.839   2.818    78   16.0      2.2 214.7  20:02 (114, 60)  

* 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)  
Apr. 10  16  8.42  -17  8.5   8.646   9.395   136   16.0      2.5 293.7   2:58 (  0, 38)  
Apr. 17  16  7.16  -17  1.1   8.581   9.405   143   16.0      3.1 290.8   2:29 (  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)  
Apr. 10   7 30.38   23 34.3   1.719   2.003    90   16.1     24.3 104.6  19:55 ( 68, 66)  
Apr. 17   7 42.80   22 48.8   1.774   1.992    87   16.1     26.3 105.0  20:02 ( 73, 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)  
Apr. 10  21 33.18    1 20.6   3.969   3.493    55   16.4     19.0  56.6   4:08 (285, 22)  
Apr. 17  21 40.34    2 33.9   3.923   3.523    59   16.4     18.1  54.7   3:57 (285, 25)  

* 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)  
Apr. 10   6 30.58   33 37.6   1.837   1.884    76   16.4     32.1  81.8  19:55 ( 99, 58)  
Apr. 17   6 48.55   34  2.5   1.925   1.910    73   16.6     32.2  85.1  20:02 (101, 55)  

* P/1988 V1 ( Ge-Wang )


First return. Bright and now is the chance to recover. It is already observable in the Southern Hemisphere. Even in the Northern Hemisphere, the comet will be higher after this. It will be brightening slowly and reach to 15 mag in September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 10  22 56.82   -2 16.3   3.317   2.566    35   16.7     28.0  71.7   4:08 (275,  3)  
Apr. 17  23  9.20   -1 14.7   3.257   2.554    38   16.7     27.8  71.6   3:57 (275,  5)  

* 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)  
Apr. 10  22 59.30   46 51.2   4.235   3.648    48   16.8     22.1  55.1   4:08 (230, 28)  
Apr. 17  23 11.62   48 19.0   4.274   3.693    48   16.8     21.4  54.3   3:57 (229, 29)  

* 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)  
Apr. 10   6 11.79   45 20.1   5.307   5.120    73   17.2      1.7 294.0  19:55 (121, 55)  
Apr. 17   6 11.20   45 25.2   5.436   5.135    67   17.3      0.8 341.7  20:02 (121, 49)  

* 93P/Lovas 1

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
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)  
Apr. 10   7 23.56   28 14.1   2.225   2.419    88   17.5     21.2 113.0  19:55 ( 80, 67)  
Apr. 17   7 33.98   27 16.2   2.351   2.463    84   17.7     21.6 112.3  20:02 ( 83, 62)  

* 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)  
Apr. 10  18 49.27  -18 44.9   2.502   2.821    97   17.5     11.6  75.6   4:08 (335, 32)  
Apr. 17  18 54.26  -18 24.8   2.435   2.844   103   17.5      9.5  72.6   3:57 (338, 33)  

* 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)  
Apr. 10  17 16.31   -6 39.2   1.382   2.069   119   17.7     13.5  72.7   4:05 (  0, 48)  
Apr. 17  17 21.86   -6 10.2   1.281   2.028   124   17.5     11.5  68.5   3:43 (  0, 49)  

* P/1999 D1 ( Hermann )

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
This April is the last chance. It will be fainter than 19 mag and lower than 30 deg.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 10  11 26.43  -16 12.6   0.799   1.751   152   17.6     17.9 209.6  22:12 (  0, 39)  
Apr. 17  11 23.15  -17 51.9   0.853   1.777   146   17.9     13.7 199.4  21:42 (  0, 37)  

* (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)  
Apr. 10   9 12.76    6  4.3  12.979  13.487   118   17.7      1.1 295.8  19:59 (  0, 61)  
Apr. 17   9 12.42    6  7.1  13.080  13.484   111   17.7      0.6 306.5  20:02 ( 16, 60)  

* 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, but it is in the Milky Way.. 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)  
Apr. 10  17 51.25  -13 44.2   1.439   2.033   111   17.9     17.4  65.5   4:08 (350, 41)  
Apr. 17  17 58.16  -12 51.9   1.377   2.034   116   17.8     15.1  59.4   3:57 (353, 42)  

* 60P/Tsuchinshan 2

Image: 1999 Mar. 22
It will be fainter than 19 mag and lower than 30 deg in late May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr. 10   7 39.50   15 56.7   1.418   1.796    94   17.9     29.5 102.4  19:55 ( 51, 63)  
Apr. 17   7 53.73   15 10.0   1.487   1.808    90   18.0     30.7 103.0  20:02 ( 58, 59)  

* 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)  
Apr. 10  16 34.36   26 13.4   5.510   6.080   120   18.0     15.1 326.9   3:24 (  0, 81)  
Apr. 17  16 29.74   27 40.1   5.479   6.096   123   18.0     15.3 322.3   2:52 (  0, 83)  

* (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)  
Apr. 10  14 18.75   14 17.8  13.123  14.020   152   18.3      3.3 296.5   1:08 (  0, 69)  
Apr. 17  14 17.30   14 27.4  13.133  14.038   153   18.3      3.3 292.2   0:39 (  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)  
Apr. 10  11 15.54   -0 28.5   2.118   3.027   149   18.5      8.4 309.1  22:01 (  0, 55)  
Apr. 17  11 12.94    0  6.2   2.154   3.012   142   18.5      6.5 315.2  21:31 (  0, 55)  

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