Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2000 Dec. 9: South)

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Updated on December 13, 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/2000 W1 ( Utsunomiya-Jones )


New come. It locates only 4 deg high in the evening sky between Dec. 10 and 15 in the Norhtern Hemisphere. Even in the southern hemisphere, it is observable only until early December. After conjunction, it appears at dawn in late January as 10 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9  19 34.80  -32 10.2   0.614   0.591    34    7.2    100.4   6.9  20:51 ( 60, 12)  
Dec. 16  19 33.28  -23 53.4   0.868   0.447    26    6.7     52.4 341.3  20:57 ( 62,  1)  

* C/1999 T1 ( McNaught-Hartley )


It is expected to reach to 7.8 mag in December and January. Appearing at dawn also in the Northern Hemisphere.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9  13 51.89  -26 15.6   1.669   1.174    43    7.9     47.5  53.7   2:53 (290, 17)  
Dec. 16  14 11.66  -22 44.3   1.605   1.172    46    7.8     50.5  50.5   2:53 (286, 17)  

* 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3


The component C is bright as 10 mag. The component E at 13 mag and the component B at 15 mag are also observed by CCD. It locates in the low at dawn and will be set under the horizon soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9  15 19.66  -13 45.1   1.975   1.178    26   10.3     61.9 110.1   2:53 (292, -7)  
Dec. 16  15 48.60  -16  9.9   1.920   1.122    26    9.8     64.9 108.2   2:53 (294, -5)  

* 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak


It brightened rapidly from 16 mag to 10 mag during 10 days in late November. However, now it seems to be fading and being diffused.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9  13 57.51   -8 28.2   1.533   1.123    47   11.4     68.2 105.4   2:53 (276,  6)  
Dec. 16  14 28.94  -10 29.3   1.513   1.094    46   11.8     68.9 104.0   2:53 (278,  7)  

* C/1999 Y1 ( LINEAR )


It will be observable as 12 mag under good condition until December.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9  23 58.00   19 17.6   2.796   3.256   109   12.2     26.1 201.3  20:51 (146, 28)  
Dec. 16  23 54.09   16 36.4   2.906   3.236   100   12.3     22.7 196.6  20:57 (136, 25)  

* C/1999 T2 ( LINEAR )


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)  
Dec.  9  16 56.22   26 18.9   3.592   3.041    49   13.6      7.5 143.5   2:53 (269,-49)  
Dec. 16  16 58.50   25 41.7   3.585   3.045    49   13.6      6.3 136.9   2:53 (266,-43)  

* C/1999 K8 ( LINEAR )


Because it is far away, it keeps brighter than 16 mag until late 2001.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9   1 26.68   -9 40.6   4.072   4.612   117   13.7      3.7 177.3  20:51 (158, 63)  
Dec. 16   1 27.07  -10  2.8   4.195   4.636   110   13.8      3.1 150.8  20:57 (142, 60)  

* 47P/Ashbrook-Jackson


It will be observable as brighter than 14 mag in the evening sky until December. It will be lower and fainter in January.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9  21 35.40  -18 28.1   2.589   2.314    62   13.8     26.9  61.5  20:51 ( 87, 29)  
Dec. 16  21 47.15  -16 56.9   2.658   2.311    59   13.8     27.7  61.6  20:57 ( 85, 24)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


Not observable. It will appear at dawn in March.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9  17 47.69  -29  2.1   6.959   5.997    11   14.0     12.0  88.7  20:51 ( 47, -7)  
Dec. 16  17 54.09  -28 59.9   6.970   5.995     7   14.0     12.0  88.4  20:57 ( 42,-11)  

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )


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)  
Dec.  9   7 13.95  -74 44.2   3.614   3.581    80   14.1     15.3 284.2   2:03 (  0, 50)  
Dec. 16   6 47.93  -74  5.1   3.614   3.608    81   14.2     16.7 295.6   1:10 (  0, 51)  

* 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)  
Dec.  9  17 44.69  -26 35.7   2.521   1.560     9   14.3     46.3  95.6  20:51 ( 48, -9)  
Dec. 16  18  8.83  -26 58.9   2.532   1.565     8   14.3     46.2  93.0  20:57 ( 46,-10)  

* 110P/Hartley 3


Brightened rapidly and reached to 14 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9   3 43.46   32 18.0   1.608   2.555   159   14.6     11.8 229.6  22:28 (180, 23)  
Dec. 16   3 39.01   31 22.8   1.628   2.545   153   14.4     10.7 221.6  21:56 (180, 24)  

* 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.  9   5 47.94  -80 24.6  12.665  12.474    76   14.5      5.0 257.0   0:37 (  0, 45)  
Dec. 16   5 34.25  -80 29.3  12.718  12.519    76   14.5      4.9 266.8  23:50 (  0, 45)  

* C/2000 K2 ( LINEAR )


It keeps brightening even after the perihelion passage and reached to 14 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9  20 22.82   -2 17.1   2.993   2.513    52   14.9     31.1  90.0  20:51 ( 91,  5)  
Dec. 16  20 37.33   -2 13.8   3.071   2.534    48   15.0     31.0  88.3  20:57 ( 88,  1)  

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )


It will not be observable soon. But it will appear at dawn as 16.5 mag in 2001 May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9  20 41.95  -26 21.9   5.407   4.821    49   15.2     11.9  40.8  20:51 ( 72, 22)  
Dec. 16  20 46.12  -25 19.4   5.532   4.863    43   15.3     12.1  43.2  20:57 ( 70, 16)  

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )


It will be observable in good condition as 15 mag until February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9   2 34.04   52 38.9   4.732   5.511   138   15.3      7.4 267.8  21:19 (180,  2)  
Dec. 16   2 28.71   52 34.7   4.755   5.487   134   15.3      6.5 262.2  20:57 (178,  2)  

* C/2000 CT54 ( LINEAR )


Although it reaches to 13.5 mag in 2001 summer, only southern people can observe it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9  15 24.33  -47 46.8   4.451   3.653    31   15.4     21.7 124.0   2:53 (319, 14)  
Dec. 16  15 37.18  -49 12.1   4.385   3.620    34   15.3     22.2 123.8   2:53 (319, 17)  

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )


Appearing at dawn. It is observable as 15.5 mag until 2001 autumn.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9  15 48.58   12 10.5   8.017   7.286    39   15.6      7.1 121.4   2:53 (275,-28)  
Dec. 16  15 51.42   11 46.0   7.980   7.296    43   15.6      6.7 119.3   2:53 (271,-23)  

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh


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)  
Dec.  9  11 48.11    8 29.6   3.525   3.549    83   15.7     11.2 104.2   2:53 (242, 22)  
Dec. 16  11 52.94    8 12.6   3.422   3.548    89   15.7      9.8 102.3   2:53 (238, 26)  

* 2000 DG8


Asteroid with cometary orbit. It will pass the perihelion in January.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9   5 29.57  -16 14.9   1.367   2.217   140   15.7     76.1 242.8   0:20 (180, 71)  
Dec. 16   4 56.38  -19 52.4   1.393   2.207   135   15.7     71.9 247.6  23:11 (180, 75)  

* C/2000 U5 ( LINEAR )


New comet. It must be 13 mag in the southern sky in early 2000. Fading now.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9   4 14.37    7 16.8   2.887   3.829   160   16.1     19.9 295.4  22:59 (180, 48)  
Dec. 16   4  6.29    8 16.8   2.983   3.891   153   16.3     18.4 297.8  22:23 (180, 47)  

* 145P/Shoemaker-Levy 5


It will fade out and be fainter than 18 mag in February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9   5 32.26   39 44.5   1.264   2.222   162   16.2     12.1 288.3   0:21 (180, 15)  
Dec. 16   5 25.27   40  4.6   1.289   2.249   163   16.3     11.5 279.9  23:42 (180, 15)  

* C/2000 SV74 ( LINEAR )


It will be observable as 14 mag for one year after 2001 autumn.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9   0 56.09    6 58.2   5.126   5.661   118   16.6      7.0 294.2  20:51 (155, 45)  
Dec. 16   0 53.40    7 19.6   5.192   5.617   110   16.6      6.0 302.8  20:57 (144, 41)  

* 70P/Kojima


Akimasa Nakamura, Kuma, Japan, observed it as 16.7 mag on Nov. 28. It is observable in good condition as 16.5 mag until February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9  12 14.18    2 39.8   2.147   2.119    75   16.8     25.2 106.0   2:53 (251, 21)  
Dec. 16  12 25.14    1 53.9   2.088   2.138    79   16.7     23.5 105.1   2:53 (249, 24)  

* 17P/Holmes


Although it has passed the perihelion, the fading is slower than expected and it still keeps 16.5 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9   2 17.07   44 11.8   1.812   2.641   139   16.9      9.4 198.8  21:02 (180, 11)  
Dec. 16   2 15.96   43  9.4   1.882   2.667   134   17.1      8.9 182.6  20:57 (176, 12)  

* C/1999 H3 ( LINEAR )


The condition is good in winter and spring. It is a bit brighter than this ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9  11 11.32    9 38.4   5.343   5.469    92   17.0      5.4 244.9   2:53 (234, 27)  
Dec. 16  11  8.69    9 24.0   5.260   5.513    99   17.0      6.6 253.8   2:53 (227, 32)  

* 24P/Schaumasse


It will reach to 10 mag in 2001 April and May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9   1 44.19   -0  5.1   1.370   2.107   126   17.4     10.8 298.4  20:51 (171, 55)  
Dec. 16   1 40.62    0 36.8   1.384   2.048   118   17.0      8.9 319.9  20:57 (156, 52)  

* P/2000 S1 ( Skiff )


It will be fainter than 18 mag in January.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9   0 10.52   -2 51.3   2.399   2.806   104   17.1     13.8  34.1  20:51 (134, 48)  
Dec. 16   0 14.53   -1 31.2   2.517   2.833    98   17.3     14.8  39.5  20:57 (127, 43)  

* 65P/Gunn


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)  
Dec.  9   8 29.83   28  9.8   3.727   4.464   133   17.5      5.4 311.0   2:53 (186, 27)  
Dec. 16   8 27.24   28 35.7   3.644   4.453   141   17.4      6.8 303.9   2:48 (180, 26)  

* 2000 VU2


New asteroid with short periodic cometary orbit. It will fade out after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9   3 48.71   21 19.7   2.147   3.100   162   17.4      9.1 226.0  22:34 (180, 34)  
Dec. 16   3 45.76   20 36.5   2.181   3.098   154   17.4      7.9 221.0  22:03 (180, 34)  

* P/1999 WJ7 ( Korlevic )


It will be 17.5 mag until March.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Dec.  9  10 29.31    7 44.2   3.210   3.533   101   17.5      5.9 120.4   2:53 (226, 35)  
Dec. 16  10 31.30    7 25.5   3.125   3.549   107   17.5      4.1 125.1   2:53 (219, 39)  

* 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)  
Dec.  9   0 10.95   -4 45.1   2.364   2.763   103   17.5      9.5  88.2  20:51 (132, 50)  
Dec. 16   0 15.84   -4 38.9   2.441   2.747    97   17.5     11.5  82.8  20:57 (124, 45)  

* (10199) Chariklo


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.  9  10 23.11   -4 57.3  13.084  13.249    97   17.6      1.6 179.7   2:53 (235, 46)  
Dec. 16  10 22.99   -5  8.1  12.968  13.247   104   17.6      1.5 199.1   2:53 (227, 51)  

* P/1999 XN120 ( Catalina )


The condition is good in January and February, 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)  
Dec.  9   9 32.69   12 18.0   2.878   3.422   115   17.6      2.5 146.5   2:53 (208, 38)  
Dec. 16   9 32.87   12  5.4   2.797   3.430   122   17.6      1.6 203.5   2:53 (200, 41)  

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