Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 May 29: North)

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Updated on May 31, 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/1999 H1 ( Lee )

Image: 1999 May 7
In the Northern Hemisphere, it will be in the evening sky as 7 mag until mid June. Then it will appear at dawn as 7 mag in late July. After that, it will fade while being higher.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29   8 37.58    0 36.6   1.015   1.100    65    7.4     72.3 345.2  20:49 ( 79, 17)  
June  5   8 30.10    7 45.8   1.155   1.005    54    7.3     55.6 345.4  20:55 ( 91, 13)  

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 May 7
It was 13.2 mag by CCD on May 7 and 13.0 mag even visually on May 15. So it must be about 3 mag fainter than this ephemeris. It will close down to about 1 deg to 37P/Forbes on May 31 at 22h (UT).
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  23 27.56   -8 37.4   1.358   1.518    78    9.5     25.1 214.1   3:06 (296, 19)  
June  5  23 18.65  -11 37.0   1.135   1.496    88    9.0     39.9 217.9   3:01 (304, 23)  

* (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. It will appear at dawn as 14 mag in late June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29   5 15.87   19 47.4   1.311   0.394    12   13.2     48.2  97.7  20:49 (123,-11)  
June  5   5 33.71   19 25.6   1.038   0.191    10   11.1      9.6 357.8  20:55 (126,-14)  

* 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)  
May  29   3 58.20   16 56.2   2.674   1.673     7   11.5     42.8  81.9   3:06 (233,-18)  
June  5   4 18.86   17 33.1   2.679   1.684     8   11.6     42.4  83.7   3:01 (233,-17)  

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 May 7
In the Northern Hemisphere, it gets low in late June. After conjunction, it will appear again at dawn in mid October as 14.5 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29   8 59.14   33 12.4   2.651   2.346    61   11.8     28.8 155.7  20:49 (107, 38)  
June  5   9  5.72   30 16.6   2.799   2.403    57   12.0     26.9 153.1  20:55 (107, 31)  

* 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)  
May  29   5 36.56  -62 57.0   8.530   8.516    85   12.0      6.3  83.5  20:49 ( 34,-42)  
June  5   5 43.05  -62 54.1   8.581   8.570    86   12.0      6.4  89.2  20:55 ( 33,-45)  

* 37P/Forbes

Image: 1999 May 7
Beginning to be higher in the Northern Hemisphere. It will be 13-14 mag until September under good condition. It will close down to about 1 deg to C/1998 T1 (LINEAR) on May 31 at 22h (UT).
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  23 14.70   -9 47.3   1.226   1.470    81   13.0     39.7  61.0   3:06 (299, 21)  
June  5  23 30.53   -7 34.1   1.202   1.486    83   13.0     37.4  59.9   3:01 (299, 23)  

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )

Image: 1998 Dec. 5
Only southern people can observe it. It will appear again in 2000 August as 13 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29   7 59.13  -44 52.2   3.816   3.824    82   13.2      5.7  85.0  20:49 ( 47,-17)  
June  5   8  3.31  -44 52.5   3.831   3.797    80   13.2      7.0  95.0  20:55 ( 50,-22)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Image: 1999 Apr. 16
In May, the diffused coma was 14 mag totally, the nucleus was 17 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  14 53.72  -28  4.5   5.206   6.164   159   13.5      6.2 293.6  22:26 (  0, 27)  
June  5  14 50.86  -27 46.7   5.244   6.162   152   13.5      5.7 296.8  21:56 (  0, 27)  

* 10P/Tempel 2

Image: 1999 Apr. 14
It is getting brighter. It was about 15 mag in mid May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  17 28.19   -4 18.8   0.818   1.793   156   14.3      6.9 259.2   1:05 (  0, 51)  
June  5  17 24.41   -4 36.2   0.769   1.758   160   14.0     10.0 248.0   0:34 (  0, 50)  

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

Image: 1999 May 7
It will be too low to observe in June. After appearing again at dawn in December, it will be lower than 20 deg in the Northern Hemisphere.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29   8 41.05    9  1.4   2.527   2.262    63   14.1     28.8 112.1  20:49 ( 85, 23)  
June  5   8 53.66    7 44.6   2.613   2.285    60   14.2     29.0 112.5  20:55 ( 87, 18)  

* C/1997 J2 ( Meunier-Dupouy )

Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Although it is getting higher in the morning sky, it will be only 18 deg high in July in the Northern Hemisphere.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  23 25.33  -27 48.5   5.091   5.137    86   14.3      9.9 153.8   3:06 (310,  6)  
June  5  23 27.36  -28 53.3   5.030   5.185    93   14.4     10.2 161.3   3:01 (315,  9)  

* C/1999 H3 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 May 8
Although it will be low in October and November, Northern people can observe it as 14 mag until 2000 April. Then they can trace it until July as the comet gets low at dusk as 16.5 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  17 55.41   56  5.4   3.253   3.570    99   14.4     31.3 294.5   1:33 (180, 69)  
June  5  17 30.24   57 19.3   3.240   3.556    99   14.4     31.5 285.5   0:40 (180, 68)  

* 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)  
May  29   2  9.80   27 53.1   2.879   2.071    30   15.0     34.2  58.3   3:06 (242,  8)  
June  5   2 25.26   29 56.3   2.861   2.088    33   15.1     33.7  59.0   3:01 (241, 11)  

* 140P/Bowell-Skiff

Image: 1999 May 1
It will be low in late June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29   9  9.12   16 24.9   2.128   1.977    67   15.1     33.4 109.9  20:49 ( 88, 33)  
June  5   9 24.42   15  2.8   2.190   1.984    64   15.2     33.9 110.7  20:55 ( 89, 28)  

* C/1999 A1 ( Tilbrook )

Image: 1999 Jan. 16
Only southern people can observe it. It will appear at dawn also for Norhtern observers. The brightness after late February is unknown.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  17 59.46  -55 25.0   1.277   2.165   141   15.1     55.1 295.0   1:38 (  0, -1)  
June  5  17 22.12  -52 13.0   1.324   2.258   149   15.3     53.5 304.2   0:33 (  0,  3)  

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )


New comet. Because it is extremely far away, it keeps 15 mag until late 2000, while Northern people can observe it under good condition.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  16 36.68   63 18.1   7.385   7.544    95   15.6      9.9 252.3   0:14 (180, 62)  
June  5  16 27.03   62 52.4   7.390   7.538    94   15.6     10.2 245.2  23:31 (180, 62)  

* C/1999 K8 ( LINEAR )


New comet. Because it is far away, it keeps 15 mag until late 2000, while Northern people can observe it under good condition.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  21 36.92   34 45.7   5.136   5.174    86   15.7      7.6  33.9   3:06 (261, 64)  
June  5  21 39.05   35 28.5   5.046   5.155    90   15.6      6.7  28.4   3:01 (261, 68)  

* 84P/Giclas


Not yet observed in this return. Now is the chance for the first observation. We can observe it as 14 mag from summer though winter under good condition.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29   0 55.71    0 31.1   2.414   2.001    54   15.9     34.8  70.9   3:06 (275,  7)  
June  5   1 11.15    1 49.9   2.339   1.979    56   15.8     35.0  71.5   3:01 (275, 10)  

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )


New comet. The perihelion passage is in 2000 July, when it will be 13.5 mag. But the comet is in the southern sky. Northern people can observe it until October as 15 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  19 40.58  -10  7.8   4.193   4.918   131   16.0     10.0 228.8   3:06 (356, 45)  
June  5  19 36.63  -10 56.7   4.065   4.874   138   15.9     11.8 231.0   2:45 (  0, 44)  

* 95P/(2060) Chiron

Image: 1999 Apr. 14
It was about 16.5 mag in March and April, a bit fainter than the ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  15 55.90  -16 12.5   8.464   9.468   171   16.0      4.3 284.5  23:28 (  0, 39)  
June  5  15 53.89  -16  5.2   8.494   9.479   165   16.0      4.2 284.0  22:59 (  0, 39)  

* C/1998 U5 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 May 7
Fading as expected. It will close down to 13 arcmin to C/1999 K6 (LINEAR) on June 1 at 0h (UT).
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  19  9.01   16 19.5   1.830   2.542   124   16.1     44.3 261.9   2:46 (  0, 71)  
June  5  18 47.18   15 24.0   1.823   2.618   132   16.2     46.9 258.3   1:57 (  0, 70)  

* C/1999 K6 ( LINEAR )


New comet. It will keep over 60 deg high until late November, when it will be 18 mag, so we can observe its fading out under good condition. It was just 18 arcmin from C/1999 K6 (LINEAR) on May 20 at 22h (UT). It will close down to 13 arcmin to C/1998 U5 (LINEAR) on June 1 at 0h (UT).
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  19  1.03   14 11.3   1.586   2.341   127   16.2     32.6 355.3   2:37 (  0, 69)  
June  5  18 59.10   17 57.2   1.546   2.320   128   16.1     32.3 350.8   2:08 (  0, 73)  

* 50P/Arend


Not yet observed in this return. Now is the chance for the first observation. We can observe it as 15 mag from summer though winter under good condition.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29   1 49.11   16  7.3   2.731   2.008    36   16.2     35.8  59.2   3:06 (254,  5)  
June  5   2  4.24   18 15.1   2.673   1.990    39   16.1     36.1  59.6   3:01 (253,  8)  

* 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)  
May  29   0 20.63    4 33.1   2.840   2.506    60   16.3     25.4  73.1   3:06 (276, 17)  
June  5   0 31.87    5 22.9   2.764   2.501    64   16.2     24.7  73.9   3:01 (277, 20)  

* C/1999 J3 ( LINEAR )


New comet. It will close to the earth down to 0.4 AU in October and reach to 11 mag. In the Northern Hemisphere, people can observe it until mid November. But because the comet is moving southwards, it will just over the horizon after the approach to the earth. It will not be obesrvable after 2000 February. On the other hand, southern people cannot see it until the approach.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  13 34.57   78  7.8   2.073   2.102    77   16.8     32.2 281.6  21:03 (180, 47)  
June  5  12 23.85   78  8.2   2.079   2.023    72   16.6     29.9 261.0  20:55 (173, 46)  

* C/1999 K3 ( LINEAR )


New comet. Although it is very high, it fades out rapidly as 17.5 mag in late June, 18.5 mag in late July. It was just 18 arcmin from C/1999 K6 (LINEAR) on May 20 at 22h (UT).
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  18 41.28   15 37.7   1.433   2.220   129   16.7     57.6 318.9   2:18 (  0, 70)  
June  5  18 22.17   20 24.6   1.458   2.263   131   16.9     55.1 314.2   1:32 (  0, 75)  

* C/1999 K2 ( Ferris )


New comet. It will be over 45 deg high and 17 mag until mid November.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  20 44.74   -6 37.5   4.786   5.293   114   17.1     10.4 322.1   3:06 (333, 45)  
June  5  20 41.41   -5 40.6   4.675   5.282   121   17.1     11.3 315.8   3:01 (342, 48)  

* C/1998 M2 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Mar. 12
No observations reported since it appeared at dawn, except for Ageo Survey team's one on Mar. 12 (16.4 mag).
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29   0 20.42   56 36.0   4.450   3.973    55   17.2     16.6  48.0   3:06 (222, 38)  
June  5   0 30.68   57 52.5   4.468   4.021    57   17.3     15.7  46.5   3:01 (220, 40)  

* 105P/Singer Brewster


It was observed for the first time in this return on Apr. 12, but the brightness is unknown. Now is the peak on the brightness.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  18  7.87   -7 39.7   1.128   2.072   150   17.5      8.0 313.8   1:44 (  0, 47)  
June  5  18  4.61   -7  5.1   1.114   2.084   156   17.5      9.0 298.4   1:14 (  0, 48)  

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

Image: 1999 Apr. 29
Fading as expected. It will be too low to observe in mid June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29   9 42.29   10 52.9   2.065   2.085    76   17.6     29.5 115.2  20:49 ( 77, 36)  
June  5   9 54.94    9 24.8   2.166   2.119    73   17.8     29.5 115.3  20:55 ( 79, 31)  

* C/1998 M1 ( LINEAR )


It was 17.5 mag on May 13. It seems to be fading a bit rapidly.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  22 11.34    9 33.3   3.601   3.722    88   17.7     11.4  36.7   3:06 (295, 45)  
June  5  22 14.21   10 35.7   3.545   3.757    94   17.7     10.2  31.4   3:01 (299, 50)  

* 134P/Kowal-Vavrova


No observations reported since last May, although it is already high enough for observation.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  19  0.34  -16 55.1   2.130   2.997   142   17.8      4.9 283.3   2:37 (  0, 38)  
June  5  18 57.58  -16 48.7   2.106   3.025   149   17.8      6.6 276.2   2:06 (  0, 38)  

* C/1999 G1 ( LINEAR )

Image: 1999 Apr. 13
It will be faint and low in June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  12 47.82   -6 24.7   4.165   4.834   126   17.9     10.7 241.3  20:49 ( 10, 48)  
June  5  12 43.83   -7  1.2   4.286   4.858   118   18.0      9.3 235.1  20:55 ( 23, 45)  

* C/1999 J4 ( LINEAR )


New comet. It will be 18.0 mag at 60 deg high in next winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  15 23.26   47 38.0   3.629   4.083   109   18.2     22.6 290.6  22:55 (180, 77)  
June  5  15  8.74   48 23.1   3.671   4.063   105   18.2     21.0 284.1  22:13 (180, 77)  

* C/1999 K7 ( LINEAR )


New comet. It fades out rapidly as 19 mag in late June, 20 mag in late July.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  29  18 10.09   18 37.5   1.757   2.548   131   18.3     55.3 263.0   1:48 (  0, 74)  
June  5  17 42.52   17 32.9   1.739   2.584   137   18.3     58.0 258.7   0:53 (  0, 73)  

* (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)  
May  29  14  8.91   14 46.2  13.462  14.150   131   18.4      2.4 260.4  21:42 (  0, 70)  
June  5  14  7.85   14 42.5  13.555  14.169   125   18.4      2.1 251.7  21:13 (  0, 70)  

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