Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 Oct. 23: South)

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 Updated on October 30, 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 J3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Oct. 10
It will go down to the south soon, then Northern people can never observe it again. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 23   7 11.10  -39 28.7   0.532   1.128    89    8.2    195.1 195.4   3:39 (289, 72)  
Oct. 30   6 30.33  -57 57.4   0.628   1.190    91    8.9    139.7 204.5   3:29 (349, 67)

* C/1999 H1 ( Lee )

 Image: 1999 Oct. 10
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. 23  22 50.77   24 23.7   1.123   1.964   135   10.7     70.4 208.2  20:43 (180, 31)  
Oct. 30  22 37.55   18  3.3   1.298   2.061   127   11.3     51.3 203.5  20:03 (180, 37)

* 10P/Tempel 2

 Image: 1999 Sept. 5
It tends to be brighter after perihelion passage, but actually it is as bright as before perihelion. It may be a bit brighter than the ephmeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 23  20 25.69  -30 47.5   1.151   1.549    92   11.3     41.4  81.2  19:50 ( 96, 71)  
Oct. 30  20 47.69  -29 54.0   1.215   1.571    90   11.7     41.4  77.9  19:59 ( 96, 68)

* 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. 23  12 26.60  -71 40.3   3.810   3.452    61   12.6     26.8 126.2   3:39 (339, 30)  
Oct. 30  13  1.61  -73 23.4   3.821   3.447    60   12.6     27.0 121.3   3:29 (342, 29)

* C/1999 S3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Oct. 10
New comet. It is brightest now. It locates high until December and keeps 13 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 23  22 31.46   58 48.2   1.203   1.905   119   12.7     47.6 271.3  20:22 (180, -4)  
Oct. 30  21 52.54   58 22.7   1.261   1.898   114   12.8     39.6 260.2  19:59 (174, -4)

* 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. 23   7  7.19  -73 53.5   9.712   9.626    82   12.8      6.9 194.5   3:39 (351, 50)  
Oct. 30   7  3.53  -74 39.3   9.773   9.677    81   12.8      6.8 201.4   3:29 (354, 50)

* 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. 23  13 43.46   -5 42.2   2.648   1.660     5   13.1     42.8 114.9   3:39 (293,-21)  
Oct. 30  14  1.95   -7 47.5   2.615   1.633     6   12.9     43.7 114.1   3:29 (295,-20)

* 106P/Schuster
Unexpectedly bright. It was observed visually as 13 mag in October. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 23   0 23.10  -26 33.0   0.777   1.651   136   13.3     25.1 331.9  22:16 (180, 81)  
Oct. 30   0 17.82  -23 43.4   0.779   1.627   132   13.2     27.5 341.9  21:43 (180, 78)

* C/1999 N2 ( Lynn )

 Image: 1999 Oct. 10
Although it was 14.7 mag on Oct. 10 by CCD, it is around 12 mag visually still now. 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. 23  13 51.48   41 49.6   2.198   1.786    53   13.3     21.0  38.6  19:50 (117,-44)  
Oct. 30  13 59.88   43 49.9   2.219   1.882    57   13.7     22.4  36.2   3:29 (240,-44)

* C/1999 K8 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Oct. 10
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. 23  21 19.30   25 20.2   3.958   4.473   115   14.0     13.4 160.3  19:50 (170, 29)  
Oct. 30  21 21.98   23 53.3   4.007   4.453   110   14.0     13.6 154.0  19:59 (162, 29)

* 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. 23  15 31.92  -27  7.5   6.975   6.124    29   14.1     11.0 100.5  19:50 ( 64, 11)  
Oct. 30  15 37.65  -27 21.7   7.019   6.122    23   14.1     11.3 100.6  19:59 ( 60,  5)

* 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. 23  13 58.95  -18 35.8   3.174   2.193     7   14.3      4.7 100.0  19:50 ( 57,-11)  
Oct. 30  14  1.16  -18 42.0   3.244   2.259     6   14.5      4.5 102.6   3:29 (303,-12)

* 141P/Machholz 2
The nucleus D was also recovered, 7 arcmin from nucleus A. It was bright, 16.2 mag on Oct. 21. It will be a bit fainter than this ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 23  17 51.73  -11 52.0   1.157   1.077    59   15.5     33.3  91.1  19:50 ( 97, 30)  
Oct. 30  18  8.54  -11 54.0   1.106   1.003    56   14.7     37.2  90.1  19:59 ( 94, 27)

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 May 20
Appearing at dawn. It was observed as about 15 mag on Oct. 17 by Kadota. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 23  10 51.28   -5 30.5   4.304   3.657    44   14.8     13.5 155.6   3:39 (267, 14)  
Oct. 30  10 53.64   -6 56.1   4.281   3.721    49   14.9     13.0 159.9   3:29 (266, 17)

* 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. 23  14 23.19   32 12.5   4.198   3.553    44   14.9      7.1 154.5  19:50 (107,-35)  
Oct. 30  14 24.92   31 31.4   4.194   3.564    45   14.9      6.2 148.8  19:59 (103,-42)

* 4P/Faye

 Image: 1999 Oct. 8
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. 23   9 37.84    5 42.0   2.554   2.309    64   14.9     21.5 113.6   3:39 (246, 21)  
Oct. 30   9 46.69    4 42.5   2.514   2.350    69   15.1     19.8 114.8   3:29 (245, 24)

* 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. 23  18 16.14  -31 58.7   4.362   4.037    64   15.3      8.3 141.9  19:50 ( 77, 45)  
Oct. 30  18 19.33  -32 43.9   4.429   4.000    58   15.3      9.0 134.9  19:59 ( 73, 38)

* 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. 23   1 52.13  -41 11.3   4.531   5.198   127   15.4     11.8 235.4  23:45 (  0, 84)  
Oct. 30   1 46.03  -41 53.3   4.509   5.132   124   15.4     11.2 241.6  23:11 (  0, 83)

* C/1999 S4 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Oct. 10
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. 23   4 40.52   36 12.7   3.300   4.054   133   15.7     17.0 283.9   2:38 (180, 19)  
Oct. 30   4 30.06   36 38.5   3.146   3.977   142   15.5     19.9 279.6   2:00 (180, 18)

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )

 Image: 1999 Oct. 10
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. 23  15 50.20   40 16.7   7.657   7.190    58   15.5      9.8 144.6  19:50 (124,-23)  
Oct. 30  15 53.76   39 22.7   7.665   7.184    57   15.5      9.5 140.8  19:59 (120,-28)

* 114P/Wiseman-Skiff

 Image: 1999 Oct. 10
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. 23   2 31.03   47 37.4   0.871   1.767   142   16.4      2.9 244.3   0:28 (180,  7)  
Oct. 30   2 28.80   47 13.8   0.821   1.737   146   16.2      6.7 214.0  23:54 (180,  8)

* (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. 23   2  2.89   46  4.6   1.132   2.029   144   16.4     40.7 244.6   0:01 (180,  9)  
Oct. 30   1 39.63   43 43.6   1.157   2.072   148   16.5     40.2 236.6  23:04 (180, 11)

* 84P/Giclas

 Image: 1999 Oct. 10
It tends to be at peak while after the perihelion passage. 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. 23   5 23.01   12 58.3   1.141   1.918   127   16.5      4.9  89.8   3:19 (180, 42)  
Oct. 30   5 24.40   12 59.7   1.108   1.935   134   16.5      1.0  65.7   2:53 (180, 42)

* 37P/Forbes

 Image: 1999 Oct. 8
Gradually fading. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 23  23 50.86    7 23.3   1.307   2.229   150   16.5      6.4 246.1  21:44 (180, 48)  
Oct. 30  23 48.86    7  7.9   1.398   2.274   143   16.9      3.2 236.6  21:15 (180, 48)

* 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. 23  19 21.01    4  3.3   5.493   5.481    84   16.6      2.6  41.9  19:50 (129, 37)  
Oct. 30  19 22.09    4 17.5   5.611   5.494    78   16.6      3.6  53.4  19:59 (121, 30)

* 59P/Kearns-Kwee
It keeps 16 mag and the good position until 2000 February. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 23   8  7.25   27  5.6   2.120   2.356    90   16.6     18.1 103.8   3:39 (214, 19)  
Oct. 30   8 15.92   26 35.4   2.045   2.363    95   16.6     16.1 105.3   3:29 (212, 20)

* 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. 23  19 28.80   32 18.4   2.228   2.470    91   16.7     23.6 104.5  19:50 (149, 14)  
Oct. 30  19 41.75   31 37.9   2.295   2.503    90   16.8     24.8 102.9  19:59 (144, 12)

* 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. 23   7 45.05   45 37.1   1.647   2.047    98   16.7     18.8  72.3   3:39 (201,  5)  
Oct. 30   7 56.20   46 17.4   1.605   2.069   103   16.8     16.3  68.8   3:29 (200,  5)

* 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. 23  10  7.67   19 23.5   4.762   4.390    62   16.8     12.3  77.8   3:39 (241,  7)  
Oct. 30  10 13.44   19 43.6   4.685   4.413    68   16.8     11.7  74.2   3:29 (238,  9)

* 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. 23  22 47.70   28 41.4   4.068   4.817   134   16.9     16.3 252.3  20:41 (180, 26)  
Oct. 30  22 39.87   28  5.1   4.093   4.770   128   16.8     15.0 249.1  20:06 (180, 27)

* 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. 23   7 33.54   24  5.7   3.585   3.850    97   17.1      6.3  84.9   3:39 (208, 25)  
Oct. 30   7 36.33   24 10.7   3.475   3.842   104   17.1      4.7  79.3   3:29 (205, 27)

* C/1999 U1 ( Ferris )
New comet. Although the condition is good, it will fade out gradually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 23   4 34.66    8 38.4   4.225   5.018   139   17.1     13.6 282.5   2:32 (180, 46)  
Oct. 30   4 28.11    8 59.4   4.204   5.067   147   17.2     14.7 282.0   1:58 (180, 46)

* 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. 23  20 10.33  -14 33.7   1.827   2.117    92   17.4     18.7  83.9  19:50 (124, 59)  
Oct. 30  20 19.85  -14 16.9   1.875   2.088    87   17.5     21.1  82.3  19:59 (117, 54)

* 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. 23   6 52.95   62 58.6   5.358   5.717   106   17.7     13.9 327.6   3:39 (188, -9)  
Oct. 30   6 44.10   64 20.1   5.297   5.744   111   17.7     14.8 321.1   3:29 (185,-10)

* 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. 23   6  3.81   25 51.3   4.170   4.723   118   18.0      2.3 309.6   3:39 (186, 29)  
Oct. 30   6  2.49   26  1.5   4.078   4.725   125   17.9      3.6 293.9   3:29 (181, 29)

* 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. 23   3  8.62   11 47.3   3.813   4.761   160   18.0      8.3 258.6   1:06 (180, 43)  
Oct. 30   3  4.61   11 35.8   3.795   4.770   167   18.0      8.8 259.3   0:34 (180, 43)

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