Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2001 May 19: South)

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Updated on May 20, 2001
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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/2001 A2 ( LINEAR )


Although it faded to 8 mag in mid April, now it is brightening rapidly again. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is not observable until it appears at dawn as 4 mag in late June. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19   5 35.19  -23 21.8   0.624   0.786    51    4.5     34.4 228.8  18:30 ( 80, 28)  
May  26   5 18.30  -25 45.2   0.543   0.780    49    4.2     44.3 246.3  18:27 ( 72, 21)  

* 24P/Schaumasse


It is 10.5 mag now but diffused.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19   7 36.81   30 45.2   1.520   1.224    53   10.9     59.7  96.3  18:30 (145, 14)  
May  26   8  8.82   29 42.4   1.536   1.243    53   11.2     60.1 100.3  18:27 (146, 16)  

* C/1999 T1 ( McNaught-Hartley )


It locates good position, however it is getting diffused and will not be obervable soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19  18 29.28   75 47.7   2.491   2.540    81   12.1     11.5 315.1   2:43 (180,-21)  
May  26  18 12.00   76 33.2   2.584   2.618    80   12.3     10.6 297.7   1:59 (180,-22)  

* 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova


It was observed at 12 mag visually in mid May. Now it is fading rapidly.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19   7 20.69   25  8.1   1.420   1.095    50   12.2     76.8  96.1  18:30 (139, 17)  
May  26   7 57.56   23 54.2   1.514   1.195    51   12.7     68.6 100.0  18:27 (140, 19)  

* C/1999 Y1 ( LINEAR )


Not observable. It will appear again at dawn in June. However, it never locates high and will not be observable after August.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19   0 53.63   -6  9.7   3.707   3.139    49   12.6     11.6 147.3   5:22 (255, 31)  
May  26   0 56.36   -7 22.5   3.609   3.152    55   12.6     12.3 154.2   5:26 (250, 37)  

* 19P/Borrelly


In the Northern Hemisphere, it appears at dawn at 10 mag in late July, then reaches to 8 mag in autumn.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19   1 43.91  -13 15.2   2.476   1.887    44   13.4     38.7  66.7   5:22 (269, 25)  
May  26   2  1.08  -11 26.7   2.398   1.839    45   13.0     39.6  66.8   5:26 (265, 27)  

* 144P/Kushida


Not observable until December when it becomes fainter than 17.5 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19   4 21.85   21 11.1   2.491   1.500     9   13.4     46.6  82.4  18:30 (108,-11)  
May  26   4 45.31   21 47.6   2.476   1.479     7   13.2     47.5  84.6  18:27 (109,-12)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


KenIchi Kadota, Ageo, Japan, caught the outburst on May 17. It is now bright at 12 mag visually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19  19 18.11  -28  6.9   5.237   5.945   130   13.4      2.6 258.5   3:32 (180, 83)  
May  26  19 16.47  -28 10.7   5.155   5.943   137   13.4      3.7 261.2   3:03 (180, 83)  

* C/1999 T2 ( LINEAR )


It is much brighter visually, around 12 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19  14  0.06   30 14.7   2.816   3.487   124   13.7     30.2 244.5  22:09 (180, 25)  
May  26  13 46.34   28 37.7   2.913   3.520   119   13.8     28.0 238.8  21:28 (180, 27)  

* C/2000 CT54 ( LINEAR )


Although it reaches to 13.5 mag in summer, only southern people can observe it.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19  23 26.91  -70 27.9   2.828   3.171   100   13.8     14.8  96.1   5:22 (343, 50)  
May  26  23 46.44  -70 38.6   2.789   3.165   102   13.7     13.3  97.2   5:26 (344, 51)  

* 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3


Not observable. It will appear at dawn as 16 mag in July.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19   1 43.85    3  6.9   2.495   1.743    33   13.8     31.8  69.1   5:22 (255, 15)  
May  26   1 57.39    4 22.8   2.519   1.809    36   14.1     30.0  69.8   5:26 (251, 18)  

* 51P/Harrington


It will appear at dawn in June at 14 mag, then will fade gradually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19   0 43.56   -0 10.1   2.060   1.579    48   14.5     45.3  71.6   5:22 (247, 29)  
May  26   1  3.59    1 28.7   2.023   1.572    49   14.4     45.0  72.0   5:26 (244, 30)  

* C/2000 OF8 ( Spacewatch )


In the Northern Hemisphere, it is not observable, will appear at dawn in November at 16.5 mag and fade. In the Southern Hemisphere, it locates high.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19  18  4.18  -53 27.7   1.511   2.353   136   14.6     66.8 243.8   2:20 (  0, 72)  
May  26  17  9.32  -56 10.3   1.431   2.323   143   14.4     75.5 256.9   0:59 (  0, 69)  

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )


It hardly faded out since the perihelion passage in 2000 June, and still keeps 14 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19   6  5.31  -26 12.1   4.856   4.394    57   14.9     16.6  47.2  18:30 ( 81, 36)  
May  26   6 11.63  -24 57.3   4.946   4.436    54   14.9     15.9  50.6  18:27 ( 80, 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)  
May  19   5  2.68  -73 15.9  13.394  13.501    93   14.9      4.0  77.4  18:30 ( 21, 36)  
May  26   5  9.14  -73 11.0  13.423  13.545    94   15.0      4.1  83.1  18:27 ( 21, 35)  

* 47P/Ashbrook-Jackson


Not observable. It will appear at dawn in July as 15.5 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19   2 24.36   19 11.9   3.424   2.486    18   15.1     28.3  65.6   5:22 (248, -2)  
May  26   2 37.08   20 31.6   3.414   2.504    22   15.2     27.8  66.3   5:26 (244,  0)  

* C/2001 B2 ( NEAT )


Because it is far away, it keeps brighter than 16 mag until August.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19  10 20.51   -4  7.9   5.377   5.644   100   15.2      9.2 329.3  18:31 (180, 59)  
May  26  10 18.65   -3 15.6   5.520   5.662    92   15.2      7.8 335.0  18:27 (168, 58)  

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )


Although it is low right now, it is observable until 2002 autumn at 15 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19   4 11.27   56 51.5   5.841   5.075    37   15.4     14.8  68.6  18:30 (141,-30)  
May  26   4 23.27   57 29.2   5.841   5.062    36   15.4     15.1  68.8  18:27 (141,-31)  

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )


It is observable as 15.5 mag until autumn.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19  15 28.01    9 37.8   6.681   7.577   150   15.4      9.7 253.8  23:38 (180, 45)  
May  26  15 23.65    9 16.9   6.719   7.593   147   15.4      9.6 250.4  23:06 (180, 46)  

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh


It is observable in the evening sky until July.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19  11 26.56   11 36.9   3.106   3.573   109   15.5      4.5 143.0  19:38 (180, 43)  
May  26  11 28.25   11  9.3   3.203   3.576   103   15.6      6.1 134.4  19:12 (180, 44)  

* C/2001 C1 ( LINEAR )


It keeps around 17 mag until 2002 autumn because it is far away. However, it goes to the southern sky.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19  13 46.24  -16 21.0   4.693   5.606   152   16.3     10.8 255.6  21:56 (180, 71)  
May  26  13 41.37  -16 40.0   4.730   5.584   144   16.3      9.9 253.9  21:24 (180, 72)  

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )


Appearing at dawn. It will fade out gradually after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19  21 58.34   -6 35.7   5.761   5.826    88   16.4      5.5 351.6   5:22 (205, 59)  
May  26  21 57.70   -5 58.8   5.690   5.872    95   16.4      5.5 339.0   5:26 (189, 61)  

* 95P/(2060) Chiron


Appearing at dawn.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19  17 50.42  -17  9.8   9.823  10.709   149   16.7      3.3 278.7   2:04 (180, 72)  
May  26  17 48.75  -17  6.5   9.785  10.722   156   16.7      3.6 277.0   1:35 (180, 72)  

* C/1999 N4 ( LINEAR )


It is still bright. Akimasa Nakamura, Kuma, Japan, observed it at 16.9 mag on Mar. 21.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19  14 30.56    7 53.9   5.224   6.098   147   17.0     16.3 277.3  22:40 (180, 47)  
May  26  14 23.14    8  5.9   5.304   6.119   140   17.0     15.3 275.1  22:05 (180, 47)  

* 86P/Wild 3


It is brightest at 17 mag until late June, but the altitude is not too high.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19  16 17.23  -16 11.5   1.315   2.320   171   17.1     13.8 241.6   0:32 (180, 71)  
May  26  16 11.14  -16 58.7   1.304   2.316   175   17.0     14.5 241.5  23:53 (180, 72)  

* C/2000 K1 ( LINEAR )


Fading gradually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
May  19  15 49.43   37 30.4   6.608   7.205   122   17.1     11.6 296.1   0:04 (180, 18)  
May  26  15 43.29   38  2.1   6.661   7.228   120   17.1     11.0 291.1  23:25 (180, 17)  

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