Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2000 Oct. 14: South)

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 Updated on October 14, 2000
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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 T1 ( McNaught-Hartley )
It is expected to reach to 7.8 mag in December and January. Northern people cannot observe it until December. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  10 51.74  -41 52.4   2.003   1.502    46    9.3     42.5  80.5   3:51 (304, 28)  
Oct. 21  11 17.47  -40 54.0   1.976   1.439    44    9.1     41.9  77.3   3:40 (303, 26)

* 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
It may keep the brightness of the outburst in the last return and reach to 6 mag. However, it locates extremely low, only 8 deg at best from November to December in the Northern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  12 26.03    4 58.9   2.608   1.691    18   12.4     40.4 115.1   3:51 (275,-16)  
Oct. 21  12 43.56    2 55.8   2.522   1.625    20   12.0     42.5 115.1   3:40 (277,-15)

* C/1999 Y1 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 2000 Feb. 5
It will be observable as 12 mag under good condition from October to December. Strange tail was observed. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   1 37.58   44 30.5   2.611   3.463   143   12.5     34.2 236.5   0:08 (180, 10)  
Oct. 21   1 19.16   42  2.8   2.547   3.433   148   12.4     36.9 231.4  23:16 (180, 13)

* 2P/Encke
Not observable in the Northern Hemisphere. It is low in the evening sky in the southern hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  15 14.40  -24 13.7   1.527   0.866    32   12.6     85.2 106.4  19:41 ( 70, 14)  
Oct. 21  15 54.39  -26 27.8   1.626   0.985    34   13.6     74.6 102.0  19:49 ( 69, 16)

* 47P/Ashbrook-Jackson
It keeps brighter than 13.5 mag until December, and the altitude will be higher slowly to 30 deg. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  20 17.55  -29  8.0   2.014   2.382    98   13.2     16.2  51.5  19:41 (112, 77)  
Oct. 21  20 24.83  -27 56.3   2.084   2.370    93   13.2     18.0  54.8  19:49 (106, 71)

* C/1999 K8 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 Dec. 30
Because it is far away, it keeps brighter than 14 mag until late 2000. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   1 42.12   -2  4.5   3.461   4.441   168   13.2     13.5 208.2   0:12 (180, 57)  
Oct. 21   1 39.13   -3 25.7   3.489   4.461   165   13.2     13.0 209.5  23:37 (180, 59)

* C/1999 T2 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 2000 Jan. 8
Although it will be low around December, it is observable again in 2001 spring as 13.5 mag in good condition. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  16 44.68   37 48.7   3.320   3.065    66   13.5     19.0 184.3  19:41 (133, -6)  
Oct. 21  16 44.32   35 42.0   3.377   3.056    63   13.5     17.3 179.5  19:49 (127,-10)

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 1999 July 31
It will be also observable in the Northern Hemisphere after 2001 October, but it will be fainter than 16.5 mag then. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   9  7.91  -71 35.2   3.537   3.396    73   13.9      4.8 185.8   3:51 (339, 43)  
Oct. 21   9  5.85  -72 10.8   3.560   3.415    73   13.9      5.8 203.0   3:40 (340, 45)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

 Image: 1999 June 12
Very low in the evening sky. It will appear at dawn in March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  17  1.66  -29 13.3   6.508   6.015    56   13.9      8.9  88.1  19:41 ( 77, 37)  
Oct. 21  17  6.58  -29 11.5   6.594   6.013    50   13.9      9.5  88.7  19:49 ( 74, 31)

* 75P/Kohoutek
It reached to 13 mag at return in 1987, however, it was not observed at return in 1994. The ephemeris says it will reach to 13.7 mag in November, but one reported it was too faint to catch. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   1 30.52   20  7.0   1.167   2.152   167   14.2     11.3 247.9   0:00 (180, 35)  
Oct. 21   1 25.17   19 32.3   1.133   2.120   170   14.0     12.4 242.9  23:23 (180, 36)

* C/1995 O1 ( Hale-Bopp )

 Image: 1997 Apr. 5
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. 14   6 53.43  -76 58.2  12.181  12.107    83   14.3      5.3 190.2   3:51 (353, 47)  
Oct. 21   6 50.76  -77 34.5  12.246  12.153    82   14.3      5.3 197.1   3:40 (354, 47)

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )

 Image: 1998 Dec. 5
Fading now. In the northern hemisphere, it will be higher than 20 deg only in October and November. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  20 23.98  -35 53.6   4.243   4.499    98   14.3     11.6 355.7  19:41 ( 82, 80)  
Oct. 21  20 23.94  -34 33.8   4.392   4.538    92   14.4     11.2   3.7  19:49 ( 85, 72)

* 71P/Clark
It is not observable at all until 2001 summer when it becomes fainter than 19 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  14 49.17  -16 11.3   2.492   1.630    23   14.6     42.4 112.2  19:41 ( 73,  4)  
Oct. 21  15  8.66  -18  0.4   2.492   1.611    21   14.5     43.3 110.7  19:49 ( 70,  2)

* C/2000 K2 ( LINEAR )
Brightened rapidly and reached to 15 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  18 32.20    1 17.0   2.416   2.431    79   15.0     27.4 105.8  19:41 (125, 38)  
Oct. 21  18 44.81    0 27.5   2.481   2.433    75   15.1     28.4 103.6  19:49 (119, 34)

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )

 Image: 1999 Nov. 28
It will be observable in good condition as 15 mag from autumn to winter. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   3 24.07   49 32.7   5.010   5.714   130   15.6      9.3 317.3   1:54 (180,  5)  
Oct. 21   3 19.11   50 18.3   4.931   5.687   135   15.5      9.6 310.1   1:21 (180,  5)

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )

 Image: 2000 Jan. 28
It will set down soon. However, it will be observable as 15.5 mag again in 2001 spring. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  15 24.72   17 23.1   7.945   7.216    40   15.6      9.2 143.4  19:41 (106, -8)  
Oct. 21  15 27.48   16 32.9   7.988   7.224    37   15.6      9.1 140.1  19:49 (101,-14)

* P/2000 S1 ( Skiff )
New comet. It is fading out after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   0 15.15  -12 27.4   1.688   2.622   154   15.9     13.0 307.8  22:41 (180, 67)  
Oct. 21   0 10.70  -11 28.5   1.744   2.641   147   16.0     12.1 316.7  22:09 (180, 66)

* 145P/Shoemaker-Levy 5
It is at best as 16 mag in October and November. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   5 43.20   32  1.3   1.431   2.053   114   16.0     14.5  48.3   3:51 (185, 23)  
Oct. 21   5 48.30   33  9.1   1.385   2.069   119   15.9     12.3  37.8   3:40 (182, 22)

* 24P/Schaumasse
It will be observable as 9-10 mag from 2001 March to June. Not yet observed in this return. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   2 42.28    0 59.2   1.622   2.573   157   16.3     13.1 248.6   1:12 (180, 54)  
Oct. 21   2 35.98    0 26.2   1.546   2.516   163   16.0     15.5 252.7   0:38 (180, 55)

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh

 Image: 2000 Jan. 15
It is observable in good condition as 15 mag from February to April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  10 52.93   12 51.7   4.245   3.562    41   16.2     18.2 109.3   3:51 (255, -2)  
Oct. 21  11  1.02   12 10.4   4.172   3.560    46   16.1     17.7 109.1   3:40 (255,  1)

* 17P/Holmes
Although it keeps brighter than 17 mag in October, it is fading out. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   3  7.17   47  7.8   1.639   2.444   134   16.8     10.0 306.2   1:37 (180,  8)  
Oct. 21   3  0.93   47 40.8   1.623   2.467   139   16.9     10.5 289.6   1:03 (180,  7)

* C/1999 H3 ( LINEAR )

 Image: 2000 Feb. 17
The condition is good in winter and spring, but it is fading out. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  11 12.17   13 19.9   5.876   5.124    37   16.9      6.4 149.0   3:51 (258, -6)  
Oct. 21  11 13.59   12 42.9   5.836   5.167    44   17.0      5.8 152.7   3:40 (256, -2)

* P/1993 X1 ( Kushida-Muramatsu )
Unrecovered periodic comet in first return. It will locate high as 16.7 mag in November and December. However, it must be much fainter because not yet recovered. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   2 43.67   12 44.0   1.998   2.948   158   17.1      8.7 252.1   1:13 (180, 42)  
Oct. 21   2 39.35   12 24.0   1.959   2.935   166   17.0     10.1 252.9   0:41 (180, 43)

* 61P/Shajn-Schaldach
Although it is in the evening low sky as 17 mag in 2000 autumn, it will be observable again as 16.5 mag in 2001 autumn. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  20 13.52  -16 57.8   2.349   2.719   100   17.2      9.8  92.4  19:41 (139, 67)  
Oct. 21  20 18.81  -16 58.2   2.419   2.697    95   17.2     11.9  88.7  19:49 (126, 63)

* 97P/Metcalf-Brewington
The condition is good until late December, but it reaches to 17.5 mag at best. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   0  7.60   -0  6.0   1.951   2.911   160   17.4     11.7 214.7  22:33 (180, 55)  
Oct. 21   0  4.79   -1 10.7   1.970   2.891   152   17.4     10.3 211.1  22:03 (180, 56)

* C/2000 O1 ( Koehn )
It keeps 17.5 mag until late October. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  23 24.18   36 42.8   5.387   6.200   141   17.6     16.8 237.1  21:50 (180, 18)  
Oct. 21  23 16.37   35 36.6   5.435   6.215   138   17.6     16.2 233.2  21:14 (180, 19)

* C/1999 K2 ( Ferris )

 Image: 1999 May 31
Fading gradually. It keeps 17-18 mag at good position until October. No observations reported since 1999 August. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14  19  6.84   37 15.9   6.490   6.615    92   17.8      3.4 172.8  19:41 (155, 12)  
Oct. 21  19  7.39   36 53.1   6.582   6.645    89   17.8      3.4 154.7  19:49 (148,  9)

* 110P/Hartley 3
It keeps 17.5 mag with a good condition until late January. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   4 18.60   35 11.2   1.895   2.655   130   17.9      1.8 344.1   2:48 (180, 20)  
Oct. 21   4 17.59   35 19.9   1.821   2.641   137   17.8      3.1 283.9   2:19 (180, 20)

* 113P/Spitaler
The condition is good until late January, but it reaches to 18 mag at best. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   0 50.79    5 53.9   1.363   2.356   173   17.9     12.1 262.6  23:16 (180, 49)  
Oct. 21   0 45.33    5 43.8   1.360   2.335   164   17.8     11.2 263.5  22:43 (180, 49)

* 65P/Gunn

 Image: 1999 Feb. 6
Although it is around the aphelion now, it is observable as 17 mag in good condition from December to March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   8 21.04   26 20.7   4.613   4.541    79   18.0      7.5  87.6   3:51 (221, 15)  
Oct. 21   8 24.67   26 24.1   4.495   4.532    85   17.9      6.4  84.0   3:40 (218, 17)

* 146P/LINEAR-Shoemaker
Recovered lost comet D/Shoemaker 2. It will fade out soon. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 14   7 42.85   31  7.9   1.403   1.705    88   18.2     25.0  59.3   3:51 (211, 16)  
Oct. 21   7 53.84   32 39.0   1.382   1.754    93   18.4     22.7  53.9   3:40 (209, 15)

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