Weekly Information about Bright Comets (1999 Dec. 25: North)

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 Updated on January 1, 2000
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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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* 141P/Machholz 2

 Image: 1999 Dec. 23
The component A has brightened rapidly and observed as 11 mag visually. On the other hand, the component D has been very diffused, about to disappearing. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  21 50.83  -12 54.2   0.453   0.796    52   10.8     99.5  95.2  18:24 ( 47, 28)  
Jan.  1  22 44.57  -13 58.2   0.384   0.843    57   10.9    126.5  94.2  18:28 ( 41, 30)

* C/1999 J3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Oct. 24
Only southern people can observe it. Northern people can never see it again. Fading our very slowly after the approach to the earth. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25   0  7.80  -67 17.9   1.953   1.830    68   11.8     12.5 355.0  18:24 (  3,-12)  
Jan.  1   0  8.22  -65 56.2   2.102   1.916    65   12.0     11.1   8.8  18:28 (  6,-12)

* 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)  
Dec. 25  16 52.11  -21 44.5   2.403   1.503    18   11.8     47.9 102.2   5:34 (295, -2)  
Jan.  1  17 15.80  -22 48.0   2.385   1.500    20   11.8     47.8 100.0   5:37 (297, -1)

* C/1999 L3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Dec. 21
Rapidly brightening. It will be 11 mag in January. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  12  0.16   -3 40.5   1.713   1.993    91   12.5     29.7 303.3   5:34 (355, 51)  
Jan.  1  11 46.28   -1 26.5   1.531   1.989   102   12.2     41.6 302.4   5:07 (  0, 53)

* 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)  
Dec. 25  19 10.58  -72 47.2   3.994   3.446    50   12.7     24.4  58.1  18:24 ( 20,-31)  
Jan.  1  19 40.49  -71 11.8   4.018   3.451    48   12.7     23.7  54.0  18:28 ( 22,-30)

* 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)  
Dec. 25   5 41.27  -77 58.2  10.234  10.084    78   13.1      6.0 272.1  23:25 (  0,-23)  
Jan.  1   5 28.08  -77 52.9  10.285  10.134    78   13.1      5.9 282.1  22:44 (  0,-23)

* C/1999 S3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Dec. 23
It has got diffused in December and now fading rapidly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  20 25.69   53  2.1   1.855   1.971    81   13.5      4.1  25.4  18:24 (133, 43)  
Jan.  1  20 27.66   53 37.4   1.916   1.995    79   13.9      7.1  26.8  18:28 (134, 39)

* 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)  
Dec. 25  16 26.09  -29 20.0   6.989   6.106    24   14.1     11.3 100.3   5:34 (305, -2)  
Jan.  1  16 31.96  -29 33.8   6.936   6.104    29   14.1     11.0 100.2   5:37 (309,  2)

* C/1999 K8 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Dec. 10
Because it is far away, it keeps 14 mag until late 2000, while Northern people can observe it under good condition. It is diffused. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  22  4.69   15 18.0   4.579   4.322    68   14.2     15.8 111.2  18:24 ( 70, 50)  
Jan.  1  22 11.95   14 41.1   4.655   4.308    63   14.2     16.1 107.4  18:28 ( 74, 45)

* C/1999 S4 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Dec. 23
It will be 3 mag in 2000 July. It keeps a good position until 2000 February when it will be 13 mag. It keeps the same brightness recently. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25   2 27.55   33 30.0   2.620   3.341   130   14.3     26.3 248.6  20:12 (  0, 88)  
Jan.  1   2 14.73   32 21.2   2.643   3.258   120   14.2     23.7 245.4  19:32 (  0, 87)

* 114P/Wiseman-Skiff

 Image: 1999 Dec. 23
Now at the peak. It is around 13 mag visually, much brighter than this ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25   2 43.31   28 36.8   0.735   1.580   133   14.3     29.9 143.5  20:29 (  0, 83)  
Jan.  1   2 53.57   25 55.6   0.763   1.573   128   14.3     30.6 135.7  20:12 (  0, 81)

* 106P/Schuster

 Image: 1999 Dec. 23
Although it was bright as 12 mag visually in October and November, it faded out in December. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25   0 48.49    6  2.6   1.031   1.552   100   14.4     38.4  36.4  18:35 (  0, 61)  
Jan.  1   0 59.82    9 34.4   1.087   1.559    97   14.5     38.9  40.5  18:28 (  6, 65)

* C/1999 H3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Dec. 9
It will keep 14 mag until 2000 March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  14 31.85   31 11.6   3.809   3.694    75   14.9      5.3 336.7   5:34 (264, 55)  
Jan.  1  14 30.26   31 50.6   3.729   3.715    81   14.9      7.3 329.0   5:37 (267, 62)

* 63P/Wild 1

 Image: 1999 Dec. 21
It brightened rapidly. It keeps 15 mag until April, but it maybe brighter than the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  13  4.58   -2  2.7   1.930   1.961    77   15.0     30.8 127.6   5:34 (330, 49)  
Jan.  1  13 15.68   -4 14.2   1.861   1.961    80   15.0     29.8 129.1   5:37 (338, 48)

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 July 31
It will reach to 13.5 mag in June, but will not be observable in the Northern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  19  6.95  -38 28.1   4.642   3.727    19   15.0     14.7 115.3  18:24 ( 54,-16)  
Jan.  1  19 15.10  -39 12.5   4.621   3.696    17   15.0     15.3 115.0  18:28 ( 56,-20)

* 10P/Tempel 2

 Image: 1999 Dec. 23
Rapidly fading. Diffused. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  23 19.92  -16 42.6   1.869   1.820    71   15.2     37.5  63.7  18:24 ( 23, 35)  
Jan.  1  23 36.02  -14 46.1   1.965   1.858    69   15.6     36.8  63.2  18:28 ( 28, 36)

* C/1998 M5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Dec. 9
Gradually fading. The altitude in the Northerm Hemisphere will not high after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  10 48.08  -17 27.9   3.929   4.231   101   15.2     12.7 220.5   4:36 (  0, 38)  
Jan.  1  10 43.60  -18 32.5   3.887   4.294   108   15.3     13.4 228.6   4:04 (  0, 36)

* 84P/Giclas

 Image: 1999 Dec. 7
After the perihelion passage, it is still getting brighter. It maybe brighter than this ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25   4 51.00   15 46.1   1.177   2.126   159   15.3      9.9 302.0  22:36 (  0, 71)  
Jan.  1   4 47.58   16 23.7   1.237   2.155   152   15.5      7.9 314.2  22:05 (  0, 71)

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )

 Image: 1999 Oct. 10
Appearing at dawn. It will be observable as 15 mag with a good condition. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  16 23.52   35  4.0   7.519   7.141    63   15.4      6.1 106.7   5:34 (248, 35)  
Jan.  1  16 26.75   34 54.1   7.474   7.137    66   15.4      5.6 101.0   5:37 (251, 40)

* C/1999 T1 ( McNaught-Hartley )
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)  
Dec. 25   1 10.26  -41 48.4   4.607   4.621    84   15.5      5.0 331.7  18:56 (  0, 13)  
Jan.  1   1  9.24  -41 15.5   4.625   4.553    79   15.4      5.1 349.7  18:28 (  0, 14)

* C/1998 T1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Dec. 21
Appearing at dawn. It was 15.3 mag on Dec. 21 by KenIchi Kadota, Ageo, as bright as the ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  14  6.79  -19 23.0   3.228   2.812    56   15.4      3.7 275.5   5:34 (323, 26)  
Jan.  1  14  4.51  -19 18.6   3.168   2.882    64   15.5      5.7 279.3   5:37 (330, 30)

* C/1999 T2 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 28
It will be 13 mag at good position in 2000 September. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  22 11.14   24 17.1   4.554   4.405    75   15.7      1.3 199.9  18:24 ( 81, 56)  
Jan.  1  22 11.22   24 11.5   4.611   4.360    69   15.7      0.8 114.4  18:28 ( 87, 50)

* C/1999 H1 ( Lee )

 Image: 1999 Dec. 10
Rapidly fading. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  22 34.11    0 52.9   3.010   2.796    68   15.8      9.1 119.6  18:24 ( 47, 45)  
Jan.  1  22 37.97    0 26.7   3.217   2.883    61   16.0      9.2 109.6  18:28 ( 54, 40)

* 59P/Kearns-Kwee

 Image: 1999 Dec. 7
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)  
Dec. 25   8 36.66   23 47.9   1.578   2.462   146   15.8      6.8 256.4   2:25 (  0, 79)  
Jan.  1   8 32.68   23 37.2   1.553   2.479   154   15.8      9.1 260.7   1:54 (  0, 79)

* C/1999 N2 ( Lynn )

 Image: 1999 Dec. 9
Extremely diffused and hard to observe. It is fainter than this ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  15 25.73   67 50.4   2.322   2.618    96   15.9     34.3  20.0   5:34 (206, 45)  
Jan.  1  15 41.61   71 37.8   2.361   2.706    99   16.2     34.7  19.4   5:37 (200, 45)

* P/1999 U3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Dec. 7
Although it locates at good position for a while, it will fade out gradually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25   3 25.43   49 18.4   1.030   1.883   138   16.3     20.9 158.3  21:11 (180, 76)  
Jan.  1   3 31.78   47  1.8   1.070   1.898   135   16.4     22.1 151.7  20:50 (180, 78)

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh

 Image: 1999 Dec. 6
It is brighter than the ephemeris recently, brighter than 16.0 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25   7 25.91   26 11.0   2.828   3.780   162   16.5      9.3 287.9   1:15 (  0, 81)  
Jan.  1   7 21.05   26 30.7   2.798   3.772   170   16.5     10.1 285.8   0:42 (  0, 81)

* C/1998 K2 ( LINEAR )
Although it has passed the perihelion in 1998 September, it is unexpectedly bright still now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25   3 14.78  -24 19.2   4.872   5.373   115   16.6     11.2 323.2  21:00 (  0, 31)  
Jan.  1   3 11.71  -23 14.7   5.000   5.429   110   16.7     10.8 330.5  20:29 (  0, 32)

* P/1998 U3 ( Jager )

 Image: 1999 May 12
Appearing at dawn. No observations reported since June 13. It may be much fainter than this ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  14 18.43  -31 15.6   3.836   3.320    51   16.6     17.6 120.9   5:34 (327, 15)  
Jan.  1  14 26.46  -32 17.8   3.800   3.362    56   16.7     16.6 121.9   5:37 (332, 16)

* C/1999 E1 ( Li )

 Image: 1999 Dec. 9
It keeps 16 mag at good position until 2000 May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  10 40.54   25 23.2   4.048   4.612   119   16.7      9.2   9.1   4:28 (  0, 80)  
Jan.  1  10 40.92   26 29.2   3.988   4.639   126   16.7      9.7 360.0   4:01 (  0, 81)

* 4P/Faye

 Image: 1999 Nov. 19
Fading now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  10 21.87   -0 37.8   2.123   2.689   114   16.8      2.0 194.0   4:10 (  0, 54)  
Jan.  1  10 21.01   -0 47.0   2.080   2.731   121   16.9      3.2 258.3   3:42 (  0, 54)

* C/1999 Y1 ( LINEAR )
New comet. It will reach to 14 mag in 2000 November. It will be brightening gradually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25   3 30.41   72 37.2   4.596   5.235   126   17.0     19.1 233.4  21:14 (180, 52)  
Jan.  1   3  8.99   71  8.9   4.584   5.188   123   17.0     18.9 224.4  20:25 (180, 54)

* C/1999 U1 ( Ferris )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 13
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)  
Dec. 25   3 31.34   12 20.1   4.904   5.696   140   17.0     12.6 288.7  21:16 (  0, 67)  
Jan.  1   3 25.97   12 48.7   5.026   5.733   132   17.1     11.3 291.5  20:43 (  0, 68)

* P/1999 V1 ( Catalina )
Although the condition is good until April, it will be only 17 mag at best. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  10  3.77    4 17.9   2.377   3.004   121   17.2      7.3 174.9   3:52 (  0, 59)  
Jan.  1  10  3.54    3 29.6   2.310   3.014   127   17.1      6.7 194.1   3:24 (  0, 59)

* 50P/Arend

 Image: 1999 Sept. 20
Fading out gradually. It was a bit brighter than the ephemeris recently. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25   8  5.02   51 33.7   1.418   2.291   144   17.2     11.1 280.6   1:54 (180, 73)  
Jan.  1   7 56.15   51 39.8   1.429   2.323   148   17.3     12.5 268.6   1:17 (180, 73)

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 28
It will reach to 15 mag in 2001. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25   1 45.95   20 44.7   6.229   6.759   118   17.3      2.9 290.4  19:31 (  0, 76)  
Jan.  1   1 44.87   20 52.6   6.299   6.724   111   17.3      2.1 307.8  19:03 (  0, 76)

* 1999 LD31
Retrograde asteroid. It will be overhead as 17 mag until March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25  13 49.93    6 33.7   2.553   2.411    70   17.7     12.9 317.2   5:34 (308, 50)  
Jan.  1  13 44.98    7 48.3   2.412   2.425    79   17.5     17.2 313.8   5:37 (318, 56)

* (10199) Chariklo

 Image: 1999 Jan. 22
A Centaur asteroid. The perihelion passage is in 2004. It will keep the current brightness over 10 years after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25   9 57.27    0  1.1  12.846  13.374   120   17.6      1.7 243.2   3:45 (  0, 55)  
Jan.  1   9 56.45   -0  3.6  12.748  13.371   127   17.6      2.1 254.2   3:17 (  0, 55)

* C/1999 T3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 13
Because it is extremely far away, it keeps brighter than 17 mag until late 2000. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25   2 12.75    8 36.4   5.110   5.680   121   17.6      9.9 215.4  19:58 (  0, 64)  
Jan.  1   2 10.39    7 42.7   5.205   5.663   113   17.6      8.5 210.8  19:28 (  0, 63)

* 117P/Helin-Roman-Alu 1
Fading very slowly. Akimasa Nakamura, Kuma, observed it on Nov. 4 and it was 17.7 mag, a bit brighter than this ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec. 25   2 37.30   10 56.3   4.178   4.841   127   18.2      3.2 285.2  20:23 (  0, 66)  
Jan.  1   2 36.18   11  3.7   4.279   4.849   120   18.3      2.1 308.3  19:54 (  0, 66)

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