Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 June 26: North)

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 Updated on July 5, 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 20
It will appear at dawn as 6 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)  
June 26   8 12.29   21 51.6   1.534   0.772    26    5.7     33.8 338.1  21:04 (118, -1)  
July  3   8  5.51   25 19.2   1.621   0.728    18    5.4     31.4 333.6  21:03 (125, -4)

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 May 20
Moving over the southern sky drastically. It turns to be in the evening sky in July. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  21 27.61  -35 32.0   0.549   1.468   137    9.8    201.5 234.4   3:00 (356, 20)  
July  3  19 10.01  -46 54.2   0.485   1.472   155    9.5    261.3 258.4   0:37 (  0,  8)

* 10P/Tempel 2

 Image: 1999 Apr. 14
Brightening rapidly. It reached to 12.5 mag in early June. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  17  9.16   -7 25.9   0.674   1.659   157   11.3     16.4 220.0  22:51 (  0, 47)  
July  3  17  4.66   -9  3.1   0.660   1.629   151   11.0     17.3 208.8  22:19 (  0, 46)

* 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)  
June 26   5 19.95   18 27.1   2.700   1.733    14   11.9     40.6  89.1   3:00 (236,-13)  
July  3   5 39.76   18 26.4   2.708   1.755    16   12.1     39.9  90.9   3:04 (238,-11)

* 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)  
June 26   6  2.94  -63 11.4   8.733   8.732    86   12.1      6.6 105.3   3:00 (329,-49)  
July  3   6  9.55  -63 25.7   8.785   8.786    86   12.2      6.7 110.3   3:04 (328,-47)

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 May 20
Very low in the evening sky. 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)  
June 26   9 25.19   22 47.6   3.228   2.580    42   12.7     22.9 146.5  21:04 (108, 14)  
July  3   9 31.55   20 37.6   3.362   2.640    38   12.8     22.0 144.8  21:03 (109,  8)

* 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)  
June 26   8 20.34  -45 42.7   3.860   3.720    74   13.1     10.9 113.0  21:04 ( 54,-34)  
July  3   8 27.37  -46 16.7   3.863   3.696    72   13.0     12.2 116.9  21:03 ( 55,-38)

* 37P/Forbes

 Image: 1999 May 20
It will be 13-14 mag until September under good condition. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26   0 10.27   -1 23.3   1.134   1.552    92   13.1     29.0  55.8   3:00 (302, 35)  
July  3   0 20.73    0 27.0   1.112   1.580    95   13.2     25.8  53.9   3:04 (305, 40)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

 Image: 1999 May 20
Small outburst happened and it looked stellar as 14.5 mag on June 5. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  14 44.79  -26 54.1   5.429   6.156   132   13.6      3.4 313.3  21:04 (  9, 28)  
July  3  14 43.77  -26 38.7   5.510   6.155   125   13.6      2.5 325.6  21:03 ( 16, 27)

* (3200) Phaethon

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Mother asteroid of Geminids. Although it appears at dawn, it will fade out rapidly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26   3 57.74   32 19.3   1.107   0.592    31   13.7     18.2 349.8   3:00 (238, 10)  
July  3   3 58.76   34 10.6   1.199   0.745    38   14.4     15.3  20.5   3:04 (240, 16)

* C/1999 H3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 June 4
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. Some visual observers reported it as 12 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  16 10.25   57 31.7   3.287   3.522    94   14.4     29.4 257.3  21:51 (180, 68)  
July  3  15 46.72   56 31.2   3.328   3.513    91   14.4     28.1 248.5  21:03 (179, 69)

* 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)  
June 26  23 29.76  -32 39.0   4.865   5.329   111   14.4     11.7 181.8   3:00 (331, 15)  
July  3  23 29.20  -34  2.8   4.823   5.377   118   14.4     12.3 187.7   3:04 (338, 17)

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

 Image: 1999 May 12
Not observable. 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)  
June 26   9 31.44    3 44.5   2.868   2.360    50   14.5     29.3 113.7  21:04 ( 91,  4)  
July  3   9 43.94    2 21.5   2.952   2.388    47   14.6     29.2 114.1  21:03 ( 92,  1)

* 102P/Shoemaker 1
Not yet observed in this return. We can observe it until November as 15-16 mag. But it should be much fainter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26   3 12.76   35 36.2   2.800   2.148    41   15.2     31.8  61.6   3:00 (240, 20)  
July  3   3 28.90   37 18.7   2.776   2.171    44   15.3     31.1  62.5   3:04 (240, 23)

* 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)  
June 26   1 58.03    5 31.4   2.120   1.921    64   15.4     35.0  73.6   3:00 (277, 19)  
July  3   2 13.77    6 38.4   2.049   1.905    67   15.3     34.8  74.5   3:04 (278, 23)

* C/1999 K8 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 June 4
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)  
June 26  21 41.85   37 15.0   4.783   5.102   102   15.5      4.0   0.7   3:00 (246, 84)  
July  3  21 41.59   37 40.3   4.700   5.085   106   15.4      3.3 343.5   3:00 (180, 87)

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 May 31
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)  
June 26  19 20.32  -13 56.7   3.763   4.742   162   15.6     16.4 234.1   1:07 (  0, 41)  
July  3  19 13.67  -15  6.2   3.695   4.699   169   15.6     17.5 234.3   0:33 (  0, 40)

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )

 Image: 1999 June 4
New comet. Because it is extremely far away, it keeps 15 mag until late 2000, while Northern people can observe it under good condition. Visual observers reported it as 14 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  16  1.41   60 44.5   7.429   7.524    91   15.6     10.9 225.1  21:44 (180, 64)  
July  3  15 54.51   59 47.3   7.450   7.520    90   15.6     11.1 218.9  21:09 (180, 65)

* 134P/Kowal-Vavrova
It was 15 mag on Apr. 21, about 3 mag brighter than the old ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  18 45.31  -16 45.5   2.104   3.111   170   15.7      9.5 267.7   0:32 (  0, 38)  
July  3  18 40.70  -16 49.1   2.128   3.141   173   15.8      9.4 266.0  23:55 (  0, 38)

* 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)  
June 26   2 51.91   24 28.4   2.499   1.948    46   15.8     36.5  61.7   3:00 (253, 18)  
July  3   3  8.61   26 27.2   2.442   1.937    49   15.7     36.5  62.6   3:04 (252, 22)

* 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)  
June 26   1  3.81    7 27.9   2.530   2.496    76   16.0     22.0  77.0   3:00 (284, 31)  
July  3   1 13.69    7 59.7   2.451   2.496    80   15.9     20.9  78.5   3:04 (287, 35)

* 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)  
June 26  10 13.43   73 15.0   2.088   1.790    58   16.1     23.2 219.5  21:04 (159, 37)  
July  3   9 53.71   71  8.1   2.081   1.714    55   15.9     21.3 212.2  21:03 (157, 33)

* C/1999 K6 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 June 1
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 is 14.5 mag visually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  18 46.74   28  3.3   1.502   2.274   128   16.0     26.7 337.8   0:33 (  0, 83)  
July  3  18 41.19   30 43.5   1.509   2.264   126   15.9     23.5 333.6   0:00 (  0, 86)

* 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)  
June 26  15 48.72  -15 47.7   8.667   9.511   144   16.0      3.0 282.0  21:31 (  0, 39)  
July  3  15 47.42  -15 43.9   8.750   9.522   137   16.1      2.5 281.0  21:03 (  0, 39)

* C/1999 F2 ( Dalcanton )
New comet. We can observe it until October when it fades to 17 mag and becomes low in the evening sky. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  15  0.88   12 52.9   4.713   5.293   119   16.1      2.9 311.1  21:04 ( 13, 67)  
July  3  15  0.11   13  3.3   4.823   5.317   113   16.2      1.5 316.3  21:03 ( 29, 66)

* C/1999 A1 ( Tilbrook )

 Image: 1999 Jan. 16
Appearing to be in the morning sky. The brightness after late February is unknown. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  16 13.90  -40 52.4   1.607   2.532   148   16.3     37.6 323.9  21:55 (  0, 14)  
July  3  16  2.48  -37 31.2   1.743   2.621   142   16.6     31.4 329.2  21:17 (  0, 18)

* 106P/Schuster
Not yet observed in this return. Now is the chance for the first observation. It will keep around 25 deg high until October when it becomes 12.5 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26   0  8.44  -26 40.7   1.863   2.302   102   16.8     19.2  91.5   3:00 (320, 16)  
July  3   0 18.27  -26 47.0   1.754   2.258   106   16.5     18.4  94.2   3:04 (325, 19)

* C/1999 L2 ( LINEAR )
New comet. Northern people can observe it only until late July. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  16 18.84    6 56.5   1.088   1.965   138   16.6     41.3 200.4  22:01 (  0, 62)  
July  3  16 12.75    2 16.1   1.090   1.945   134   16.6     42.7 195.6  21:27 (  0, 57)

* C/1998 U5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 June 4
Fading as expected. Observation is hard because it is in the Milky Way. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  17 42.87   10 37.6   1.951   2.844   144   16.7     44.0 247.9  23:24 (  0, 65)  
July  3  17 24.64    8 38.5   2.046   2.919   142   16.9     40.1 244.5  22:38 (  0, 63)

* C/1999 K2 ( Ferris )

 Image: 1999 May 31
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)  
June 26  20 27.38   -2 56.0   4.407   5.251   142   16.9     14.1 302.1   2:13 (  0, 52)  
July  3  20 21.56   -2  4.7   4.345   5.241   148   16.9     14.8 298.9   1:40 (  0, 53)

* C/1999 K3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 May 31
New comet. Although it is very high, it fades out rapidly as 17.5 mag in late June, 18.5 mag in late July. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  17 23.46   30 12.9   1.674   2.404   124   17.4     37.7 298.0  23:04 (  0, 85)  
July  3  17  6.46   31 54.7   1.781   2.454   120   17.7     31.2 292.2  22:20 (  0, 87)

* P/1999 J5 ( LINEAR )
New comet. Although it keeps 18 mag until the end of 2000, it is higher than 40 deg only until late July. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  16 15.60   -9 12.6   2.819   3.717   147   17.5      7.4 248.3  21:58 (  0, 46)  
July  3  16 12.67   -9 33.6   2.874   3.718   140   17.5      6.3 239.2  21:28 (  0, 45)

* 105P/Singer Brewster
It was 17.7 mag on June 8, as bright as expected. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  17 51.61   -6 23.6   1.135   2.124   161   17.7      9.2 267.5  23:34 (  0, 49)  
July  3  17 47.59   -6 31.6   1.163   2.140   158   17.8      8.1 256.6  23:02 (  0, 48)

* 1999 LD31
New retrograde asteroid. It will be overhead as 17 mag between 2000 January and March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
June 26  15 27.97    4 13.0   2.041   2.808   130   17.7     43.5 279.3  21:09 (  0, 59)  
July  3  15  9.04    4 54.7   2.118   2.771   120   17.7     38.2 277.4  21:03 ( 20, 59)

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