Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 July 24: South)

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 Updated on July 27, 1999
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Southern Hemisphere.

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

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* C/1999 H1 ( Lee )

 Image: 1999 June 12
Appearing over horizon at dawn in late July, then it will fade while being higher. Southern observers cannot see it until October. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24   7 40.20   33 59.5   1.681   0.754    15    6.8     27.8 323.4   5:32 (241,-19)  
July 31   7 30.56   36 33.5   1.635   0.813    23    6.9     27.8 322.0   5:28 (235,-15)

* C/1999 N2 ( Lynn )

 Image: 1999 July 24
New comet. It will be faint soon. It will keep over 20 deg high in the evening sky in August in the Northern Hemisphere, although it set down under the horizon in the Southern Hemisphere. After that, it is alwasy observable for Northern people. It locates low at dusk until late October, then it turns to appear at dawn. It passes near by the North Pole in early February in 2000. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24  11 19.18    4  4.8   0.736   0.761    48    8.2    131.4  46.2  18:40 (119, 28)  
July 31  11 54.10   12 45.3   0.913   0.777    47    8.7     82.6  43.3  18:44 (126, 22)

* C/1999 J3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 June 12
Brightened rapidly and reached to 11 mag in mid June visually. It will close to the earth down to 0.4 AU in October and maybe reach to 6.4 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)  
July 24   9 16.86   64  3.0   1.892   1.383    45   10.3     19.5 200.3  18:40 (150,-28)  
July 31   9 10.22   61 55.2   1.833   1.306    43   10.0     19.3 199.0  18:44 (146,-31)

* 10P/Tempel 2

 Image: 1999 June 30
11 mag visually, well condensed and easy to see. It is stellar by CCD. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24  17  0.96  -15 20.6   0.664   1.555   134   10.2     20.3 167.6  20:54 (180, 71)  
July 31  17  4.34  -17 40.5   0.677   1.535   129   10.0     22.2 154.7  20:30 (180, 73)

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 June 30
It will fade out rapidly after this. Northern people can observe it only until mid August. After conjunction, it appears again at dawn as 16 mag in December. On the other hand, it keeps high until late August in the Southern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24  14 26.66  -30 29.0   0.928   1.523   103   10.5     64.5 311.1  18:40 (135, 83)  
July 31  14  7.34  -26 27.0   1.151   1.552    91   11.1     38.5 315.9  18:44 (115, 72)

* 37P/Forbes

 Image: 1999 July 8
It suddenly became 2 mag brighter in June. Now it reaches to 11 mag. The condition keeps good until September. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24   0 42.43    5  5.8   1.045   1.678   108   11.9     14.9  41.0   4:37 (180, 50)  
July 31   0 46.04    6 19.0   1.025   1.714   114   12.0     11.2  30.2   4:14 (180, 49)

* C/1995 O1 ( Hale-Bopp )
Only southern people can observe it. Northern people can never see it again. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24   6 28.79  -64 32.3   8.944   8.946    86   12.3      6.9 125.1   5:32 (328, 38)  
July 31   6 34.85  -65  2.0   8.999   8.999    86   12.3      7.0 129.9   5:28 (329, 40)

* 4P/Faye

 Image: 1998 Dec. 13
Appearing over horizon at dawn, but it is too low to observe until September. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24   6 36.58   17 33.4   2.728   1.832    22   12.6     37.4  96.3   5:32 (247,  2)  
July 31   6 54.47   17  0.7   2.732   1.862    24   12.7     36.4  98.0   5:28 (247,  3)

* 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)  
July 24   8 52.16  -48 51.7   3.859   3.630    69   12.9     15.9 125.7  18:40 ( 47, 26)  
July 31   9  1.66  -50  1.0   3.854   3.609    68   12.9     17.1 128.0  18:44 ( 44, 24)

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 May 20
Not observable. 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)  
July 24   9 50.09   14 47.1   3.723   2.826    24   13.4     20.0 141.3  18:40 (111,  4)  
July 31   9 56.05   13  0.2   3.827   2.889    19   13.5     19.4 140.6  18:44 (106,  0)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

 Image: 1999 June 12
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)  
July 24  14 44.01  -26  3.6   5.797   6.149   105   13.7      2.1  55.6  18:40 (176, 81)  
July 31  14 45.18  -25 56.5   5.902   6.147    99   13.8      2.9  72.8  18:44 (139, 78)

* C/1999 H3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 July 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. It is 13 mag visually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24  14 56.09   51 39.9   3.520   3.508    81   14.5     23.1 225.8  18:48 (180,  3)  
July 31  14 45.03   49 44.8   3.591   3.504    76   14.5     21.4 219.3  18:44 (174,  5)

* C/1997 J2 ( Meunier-Dupouy )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 13
High in the Southern Hemisphere. It is very low in the Northern Hemisphere. But it never locates over 10 deg high after mid August, so now is the last chance. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24  23 23.02  -38 25.9   4.758   5.523   134   14.5     13.6 203.0   3:18 (  0, 87)  
July 31  23 19.48  -39 52.8   4.761   5.571   139   14.5     13.8 207.6   2:47 (  0, 85)

* 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)  
July 24   3  0.78    9 30.9   1.846   1.868    75   14.9     33.5  77.8   5:32 (208, 41)  
July 31   3 16.17   10 17.5   1.781   1.859    78   14.8     32.8  79.0   5:28 (205, 41)

* C/1999 K8 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 July 8
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)  
July 24  21 36.88   38 12.9   4.213   4.781   118   14.9      3.8 265.1   1:33 (180, 17)  
July 31  21 34.45   38  5.8   4.138   4.754   122   14.9      4.7 248.6   1:03 (180, 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)  
July 24  10 20.98   -1 54.1   3.191   2.479    38   15.0     28.9 115.3  18:40 (102, 20)  
July 31  10 33.13   -3 20.9   3.267   2.511    35   15.1     28.7 115.7  18:44 ( 98, 17)

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 June 14
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)  
July 24  18 51.97  -18 50.3   3.589   4.563   161   15.4     18.3 233.5  22:43 (180, 74)  
July 31  18 44.83  -20  6.0   3.592   4.520   152   15.3     17.7 232.6  22:09 (180, 75)

* 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)  
July 24   4 17.61   41 52.1   2.693   2.244    53   15.4     28.4  65.2   5:32 (209,  5)  
July 31   4 33.75   43 12.1   2.662   2.270    56   15.5     27.4  66.0   5:28 (207,  4)

* 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)  
July 24   0 44.25  -27 43.6   1.450   2.125   117   15.7     14.9 106.0   4:39 (180, 83)  
July 31   0 51.31  -28 15.3   1.359   2.082   121   15.4     13.3 111.9   4:19 (180, 83)

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )

 Image: 1999 July 8
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)  
July 24  15 39.31   56 14.2   7.321   7.301    84   15.5     11.6 201.3  19:32 (180, -1)  
July 31  15 36.26   54 57.4   7.347   7.291    82   15.5     11.6 196.1  19:01 (180,  0)

* 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)  
July 24   4  1.10   31 57.4   2.277   1.919    56   15.5     35.9  65.9   5:32 (211, 15)  
July 31   4 19.32   33 36.5   2.223   1.917    59   15.5     35.5  67.1   5:28 (209, 14)

* (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)  
July 24   4 12.88   38 24.7   1.344   1.115    54   15.5     13.5  36.7   5:32 (210,  8)  
July 31   4 17.32   39 39.2   1.359   1.218    59   15.7     12.4  32.1   5:28 (206,  9)

* C/1999 K6 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 July 8
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)  
July 24  18 25.20   36  3.2   1.577   2.247   118   15.5     12.1 321.9  22:17 (180, 19)  
July 31  18 21.44   36 57.9   1.612   2.248   115   15.6      8.2 318.9  21:46 (180, 18)

* P/1988 V1 ( Ge-Wang )
First return. Bright and now is the chance to recover. 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)  
July 24   1 40.15    8 58.4   2.215   2.504    94   15.7     16.7  85.4   5:32 (181, 46)  
July 31   1 47.64    9  4.0   2.139   2.509    99   15.6     15.0  88.9   5:15 (180, 46)

* 134P/Kowal-Vavrova

 Image: 1999 June 14
About 3 mag brighter than expected based on the pre-perihelion observations. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24  18 28.76  -17  9.8   2.281   3.233   155   15.8      6.4 258.9  22:21 (180, 72)  
July 31  18 26.08  -17 18.9   2.356   3.264   148   15.9      4.8 253.8  21:51 (180, 72)

* 95P/(2060) Chiron

 Image: 1999 June 12
Stellar object. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24  15 45.23  -15 39.4   9.053   9.555   116   16.1      0.5 265.4  19:38 (180, 71)  
July 31  15 45.13  -15 40.3   9.168   9.566   110   16.2      0.3 147.1  19:10 (180, 71)

* C/1999 F2 ( Dalcanton )

 Image: 1999 June 30
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)  
July 24  15  1.04   13  5.5   5.178   5.393    96   16.2      2.5 107.4  18:54 (180, 42)  
July 31  15  2.43   12 58.8   5.301   5.419    91   16.3      3.6 108.7  18:44 (175, 42)

* 88P/Howell

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Appearing at dawn. It is probably much fainter than the ephemris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24   4 22.42   21  7.9   3.471   2.979    53   16.6     16.5  78.6   5:32 (221, 22)  
July 31   4 30.25   21 29.4   3.427   3.018    58   16.7     15.3  79.1   5:28 (218, 23)

* C/1999 L2 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 June 30
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)  
July 24  16  4.65  -12  9.1   1.185   1.912   120   16.7     39.6 179.6  19:57 (180, 67)  
July 31  16  5.77  -16 38.2   1.239   1.907   115   16.8     37.5 173.5  19:31 (180, 72)

* 59P/Kearns-Kwee
Appearing at dawn. It will be 16 mag and locale high in next autumn and winter. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24   5 11.06   29 52.8   3.035   2.377    41   16.9     29.3  84.8   5:32 (225,  8)  
July 31   5 26.75   30  8.1   2.973   2.368    45   16.9     29.1  86.4   5:28 (223,  9)

* C/1999 K2 ( Ferris )

 Image: 1999 May 31
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)  
July 24  20  3.48   -0  4.1   4.378   5.344   159   17.0     14.6 291.4  23:55 (180, 55)  
July 31  19 57.19    0 31.2   4.394   5.351   158   17.0     14.2 289.7  23:21 (180, 54)

* C/1999 N4 ( LINEAR )
New comet. We can observe it as 17.5 mag until October. After conjunction, we can observe it again as 17 mag in spring and autumn in 2000. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24  18 59.71    0 52.3   5.026   5.947   152   17.2     17.7 264.4  22:51 (180, 54)  
July 31  18 51.61    0 38.5   5.050   5.930   147   17.2     17.1 262.6  22:16 (180, 54)

* 137P/Shoemaker-Levy 2
It keeps 17.5 mag and 40 deg high until October. A stellar object. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24  20  7.92  -13  0.2   1.570   2.581   172   17.5     12.0 264.5   0:04 (180, 68)  
July 31  20  2.11  -13  9.8   1.536   2.542   169   17.5     12.3 262.5  23:26 (180, 68)

* P/1994 P1 ( Machholz 2 )
First return of a split comet. The condition is best and we can always observe it until it faded out. The ephemeris is based on the outburst in 1994, so it will be much fainter in fact. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
July 24  17  0.23  -11 48.7   1.226   2.061   133   18.2     18.5 283.0  20:52 (180, 67)  
July 31  16 52.50  -11 22.6   1.227   1.991   124   17.9     14.7 282.8  20:17 (180, 66)

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