Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 Oct. 16: North)

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 Updated on October 17, 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 J3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Sept. 27
It will go down to the south soon. It is close by M46 and M47 on Oct. 15. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16   7 36.57  -15 48.2   0.512   1.074    84    7.8    210.4 191.5   4:42 (336, 36)  
Oct. 23   7 11.10  -39 28.7   0.532   1.128    89    8.2    195.1 195.4   4:47 (356, 16)

* 10P/Tempel 2

 Image: 1999 Sept. 5
It tends to be brighter after perihelion passage, but actually it is 10 mag, a bit fainter. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16  20  3.34  -31 23.9   1.090   1.530    94    9.8     41.2  84.8  18:49 (  5, 23)  
Oct. 23  20 25.69  -30 47.5   1.151   1.549    92   10.1     41.4  81.2  18:41 (  5, 24)

* C/1999 H1 ( Lee )

 Image: 1999 Sept. 27
Getting to be farther away from the earth. Although it locates in good positon until December, it will fade out rapidly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16  23 13.03   32 35.6   0.978   1.866   141   10.0     93.7 213.7  21:32 (  0, 87)  
Oct. 23  22 50.77   24 23.7   1.123   1.964   135   10.7     70.4 208.2  20:43 (  0, 79)

* 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)  
Oct. 16  11 56.67  -69 46.5   3.802   3.459    62   12.6     26.5 129.8   4:42 (336,-31)  
Oct. 23  12 26.60  -71 40.3   3.810   3.452    61   12.6     26.8 126.2   4:47 (339,-31)

* 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)  
Oct. 16   7  9.42  -73  5.8   9.651   9.574    82   12.7      7.0 187.9   4:42 (356,-18)  
Oct. 23   7  7.19  -73 53.5   9.712   9.626    82   12.8      6.9 194.5   4:47 (359,-19)

* C/1999 N2 ( Lynn )

 Image: 1999 Sept. 23
It was 13 mag by CCD in mid September. It will be at dawn in November. 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)  
Oct. 16  13 43.42   39 59.5   2.169   1.689    48   12.9     19.9  40.7  18:49 (129, 15)  
Oct. 23  13 51.48   41 49.6   2.198   1.786    53   13.3     21.0  38.6  18:41 (132, 14)

* 9P/Tempel 1
Not observable around the perihelion passage at all. When it appears at dawn in 2000 June, it will be already fainter than 15 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16  13 25.54   -3 36.4   2.681   1.690     5   13.3     41.8 115.4  18:49 ( 96,-15)  
Oct. 23  13 43.46   -5 42.2   2.648   1.660     5   13.1     42.8 114.9   4:47 (267,-14)

* C/1999 S3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Sept. 27
New comet. It is brightest now. It locates high until December and keeps 14 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16  23 16.97   58  4.8   1.160   1.915   125   13.1     54.9 283.8  21:35 (180, 67)  
Oct. 23  22 31.46   58 48.2   1.203   1.905   119   13.2     47.6 271.3  20:22 (180, 66)

* C/1999 K8 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Sept. 11
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)  
Oct. 16  21 17.35   26 49.1   3.917   4.493   119   14.0     13.1 166.7  19:39 (  0, 82)  
Oct. 23  21 19.30   25 20.2   3.958   4.473   115   14.0     13.4 160.3  19:13 (  0, 80)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

 Image: 1999 June 12
Not observable. It will appear at dawn in 2000 January. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16  15 26.36  -26 53.9   6.921   6.126    34   14.1     10.6 100.3  18:49 ( 60, -4)  
Oct. 23  15 31.92  -27  7.5   6.975   6.124    29   14.1     11.0 100.5  18:41 ( 61, -7)

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 July 30
Not observable. It appears again at dawn as 15 mag in December. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16  13 56.66  -18 30.9   3.087   2.127    12   14.1      4.7  96.8  18:49 ( 79,-17)  
Oct. 23  13 58.95  -18 35.8   3.174   2.193     7   14.3      4.7 100.0  18:41 ( 81,-20)

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 May 20
Appearing at dawn. No observations have been reported since mid June. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16  10 48.43   -4  4.3   4.319   3.592    38   14.7     14.0 152.0   4:42 (287, 16)  
Oct. 23  10 51.28   -5 30.5   4.304   3.657    44   14.8     13.5 155.6   4:47 (293, 21)

* 4P/Faye

 Image: 1999 Sept. 20
Appearing at dawn. It was observed as 14.4 mag on Sept. 19 by Kadota, as bright as the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16   9 28.19    6 43.3   2.590   2.268    60   14.8     23.2 112.5   4:42 (291, 38)  
Oct. 23   9 37.84    5 42.0   2.554   2.309    64   14.9     21.5 113.6   4:47 (297, 42)

* C/1999 H3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Sept. 11
It will be at dawn in November. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16  14 21.56   33  1.5   4.191   3.542    44   14.9      8.1 159.8  18:49 (119, 17)  
Oct. 23  14 23.19   32 12.5   4.198   3.553    44   14.9      7.1 154.5  18:41 (120, 14)

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 July 31
Almost stellar object. It will go down to the south soon. The perihelion passage is in 2000 July, when it will be 13.5 mag. But the comet is in the southern sky. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16  18 13.71  -31 12.3   4.290   4.075    70   15.3      7.7 151.0  18:49 ( 29, 17)  
Oct. 23  18 16.14  -31 58.7   4.362   4.037    64   15.3      8.3 141.9  18:41 ( 32, 14)

* 141P/Machholz 2
First return of a split comet. The condition is best. It is much fainter than the early prediction. If it does not brighten rapidly, it will be about 18 mag still now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16  17 36.73  -11 46.1   1.199   1.154    62   16.1     29.6  92.1  18:49 ( 49, 28)  
Oct. 23  17 51.73  -11 52.0   1.157   1.077    59   15.5     33.3  91.1  18:41 ( 49, 28)

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )

 Image: 1999 Sept. 5
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)  
Oct. 16  15 46.82   41 14.9   7.645   7.197    59   15.5     10.1 148.4  18:49 (119, 36)  
Oct. 23  15 50.20   40 16.7   7.657   7.190    58   15.5      9.8 144.6  18:41 (119, 33)

* C/1999 S4 ( LINEAR )
New comet. It will be 3 mag in 2000 July. It keeps a good position until 2000 February when it will be 13 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16   4 49.13   35 42.8   3.467   4.129   125   15.9     14.1 288.5   3:14 (180, 89)  
Oct. 23   4 40.52   36 12.7   3.300   4.054   133   15.7     17.0 283.9   2:38 (180, 89)

* 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)  
Oct. 16   6 51.84   54 18.2   2.211   2.599   101   15.9     11.0  42.5   4:42 (194, 70)  
Oct. 23   6 56.80   55 15.0   2.169   2.631   106   16.0      9.4  30.5   4:47 (182, 70)

* 59P/Kearns-Kwee
It was 16.9 mag on Sept. 19, a bit fainter than this ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16   7 57.54   27 36.1   2.195   2.350    86   16.1     19.8 102.5   4:42 (282, 68)  
Oct. 23   8  7.25   27  5.6   2.120   2.356    90   16.1     18.1 103.8   4:47 (291, 72)

* 37P/Forbes

 Image: 1999 Sept. 5
Gradually fading. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16  23 54.35    7 43.8   1.226   2.184   158   16.2      9.6 250.2  22:15 (  0, 63)  
Oct. 23  23 50.86    7 23.3   1.307   2.229   150   16.5      6.4 246.1  21:44 (  0, 62)

* (3200) Phaethon

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Mother asteroid of Geminids. No astrometric observations have been reported since 1996 December. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16   2 28.43   47 47.6   1.124   1.983   138   16.3     39.2 253.2   0:54 (180, 77)  
Oct. 23   2  2.89   46  4.6   1.132   2.029   144   16.4     40.7 244.6   0:01 (180, 79)

* 114P/Wiseman-Skiff
It was 17.6 mag on Sept. 25, fainter than expected. Although the position is best in December and January, it will be 15 mag at best. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16   2 32.23   47 32.4   0.927   1.799   138   16.7      2.7 342.4   0:57 (180, 77)  
Oct. 23   2 31.03   47 37.4   0.871   1.767   142   16.4      2.9 244.3   0:28 (180, 77)

* C/1999 T1 ( McNaught-Hartley )
New comet. It is expected to be bright as 7 mag in late 2000. It keeps extremely low until 2000 January for nothern people, then they cannot observe it until 2000 December. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16   1 58.00  -40 20.0   4.564   5.264   130   16.5     12.2 229.5   0:23 (  0, 15)  
Oct. 23   1 52.13  -41 11.3   4.531   5.198   127   16.4     11.8 235.4  23:45 (  0, 14)

* 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)  
Oct. 16  19 20.48    3 50.3   5.373   5.468    90   16.5      1.9  15.7  18:49 ( 30, 55)  
Oct. 23  19 21.01    4  3.3   5.493   5.481    84   16.6      2.6  41.9  18:41 ( 37, 53)

* C/1999 K6 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Sept. 11
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. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16  19 16.54   33  1.1   2.164   2.438    93   16.5     22.2 106.1  18:49 ( 87, 75)  
Oct. 23  19 28.80   32 18.4   2.228   2.470    91   16.7     23.6 104.5  18:41 ( 86, 74)

* 50P/Arend

 Image: 1999 Sept. 20
Now the brightness is at peak, but faint. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16   7 32.29   44 57.4   1.690   2.026    94   16.7     21.2  74.4   4:42 (229, 73)  
Oct. 23   7 45.05   45 37.1   1.647   2.047    98   16.7     18.8  72.3   4:47 (220, 75)

* C/1999 E1 ( Li )

 Image: 1999 Apr. 8
It keeps 16 mag at good position until 2000 May. No observations have been reported since May 20. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16  10  1.52   19  7.0   4.834   4.367    56   16.8     13.0  80.6   4:42 (273, 38)  
Oct. 23  10  7.67   19 23.5   4.762   4.390    62   16.8     12.3  77.8   4:47 (277, 44)

* C/1999 T2 ( LINEAR )
New comet. It will be 14 mag at good position in 2000 September. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16  22 56.35   29 14.2   4.057   4.864   140   16.9     17.4 255.6  21:17 (  0, 84)  
Oct. 23  22 47.70   28 41.4   4.068   4.817   134   16.9     16.3 252.3  20:41 (  0, 84)

* 84P/Giclas
It tends to be at peak while after the perihelion passage. It was 16.6 mag on Oct. 3, brighter than the ephemeris. Now it will be around 16 mag actually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16   5 19.74   12 59.1   1.180   1.902   121   17.0      8.8  91.3   3:44 (  0, 68)  
Oct. 23   5 23.01   12 58.3   1.141   1.918   127   17.0      4.9  89.8   3:19 (  0, 68)

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
It locates high at dawn now. It was already observed on Sept. 14. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16   7 29.98   24  2.8   3.697   3.858    91   17.2      7.7  87.9   4:42 (300, 71)  
Oct. 23   7 33.54   24  5.7   3.585   3.850    97   17.1      6.3  84.9   4:47 (317, 76)

* 106P/Schuster
The magnitude in this ephemeris is based on the nucleus magnitude. It will be about 1-2 mag brighter actually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16   0 29.95  -28 51.6   0.784   1.677   140   17.5     22.3 321.1  22:50 (  0, 26)  
Oct. 23   0 23.10  -26 33.0   0.777   1.651   136   17.3     25.1 331.9  22:16 (  0, 29)

* 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)  
Oct. 16  20  1.97  -14 44.9   1.779   2.147    97   17.4     16.1  85.8  18:49 (  8, 40)  
Oct. 23  20 10.33  -14 33.7   1.827   2.117    92   17.4     18.7  83.9  18:41 ( 11, 40)

* C/1998 W3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Mar. 22
Fading very slowly. After appearing at dawn, it was already observed on Sept. 13. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16   6 59.59   61 36.3   5.427   5.690   100   17.7     13.0 334.0   4:42 (191, 63)  
Oct. 23   6 52.95   62 58.6   5.358   5.717   106   17.7     13.9 327.6   4:47 (181, 62)

* 117P/Helin-Roman-Alu 1
Fading very slowly. No observations have been reported since 1998 December. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16   3 12.28   11 58.5   3.844   4.752   152   18.0      7.4 257.9   1:37 (  0, 67)  
Oct. 23   3  8.62   11 47.3   3.813   4.761   160   18.0      8.3 258.6   1:06 (  0, 67)

* 65P/Gunn

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
At aphelion now. No observations have been reported since Feb. 17. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 16   6  4.31   25 41.3   4.268   4.721   111   18.0      1.4 352.6   4:28 (  0, 81)  
Oct. 23   6  3.81   25 51.3   4.170   4.723   118   18.0      2.3 309.6   4:00 (  0, 81)

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