Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2001 Nov. 17: North)

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 Updated on November 25, 2001
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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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* C/2000 WM1 ( LINEAR )
It brightened rapidly in November. Now it is brighter than 7 mag. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will be unobservable after mid December until late February when it appears at dawn. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17   3 21.42   39 14.5   0.487   1.455   159    6.9    106.5 224.5  23:30 (180, 87)  
Nov. 24   2 31.12   26 28.1   0.374   1.343   159    5.1    181.5 215.9  22:12 (  0, 80)

* 19P/Borrelly
It has passed the peak and is fading now. It is observable in good condition until to fade out. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  10 55.74   30 44.4   1.319   1.539    82   10.9     39.1  75.2   5:08 (271, 64)  
Nov. 24  11 15.71   31 55.0   1.308   1.577    85   11.1     36.7  73.5   5:14 (270, 67)

* P/2001 Q6 ( NEAT )
New periodic comet. It bursted out and reached to 10 mag. It is fading after this, but keeps observable for a while in the Northern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  18 48.41   71 24.5   0.902   1.412    96   11.1     37.0 205.6  18:21 (159, 45)  
Nov. 24  18 32.44   67 57.2   0.974   1.421    92   11.3     27.2 198.6  18:18 (153, 43)

* P/2001 MD7 ( LINEAR )
It became brighter than expected and reached to 12 mag. It will keep the current brightness until mid December. It locates in the evening sky until 2002 April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  21  9.18  -29 56.2   1.054   1.265    76   12.7     50.0  81.5  18:21 ( 13, 24)  
Nov. 24  21 36.23  -28 50.4   1.061   1.257    75   12.6     52.7  77.9  18:18 ( 13, 25)

* C/2000 SV74 ( LINEAR )
It will be observable at 13 mag until 2002 September. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  23 40.56   58  7.4   3.218   3.848   123   12.9     15.4 253.7  19:53 (180, 67)  
Nov. 24  23 28.64   57 33.2   3.244   3.824   119   12.8     13.5 247.1  19:14 (180, 67)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
It bursted out in early November. Now it is 13 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  19  5.66  -25 37.1   6.470   5.886    50   13.8      9.8  78.1  18:21 ( 42, 16)  
Nov. 24  19 10.75  -25 22.7   6.551   5.884    44   13.9     10.3  78.2  18:18 ( 46, 13)

* C/1999 Y1 ( LINEAR )
It locates high in the Southern Hemisphere. Northern people can never see it again. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  21 18.17  -52 23.2   4.005   3.842    73   14.1      5.1 311.6  18:21 (  7,  2)  
Nov. 24  21 15.98  -51 59.3   4.149   3.880    67   14.2      3.9 330.0  18:18 ( 12,  1)

* C/2000 CT54 ( LINEAR )
It appears low in the evening sky from December to January even in the Northern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  22 30.01  -50 14.7   3.418   3.471    84   14.6     21.1  15.7  18:44 (  0,  5)  
Nov. 24  22 34.50  -47 53.7   3.520   3.499    80   14.7     21.1  19.2  18:21 (  0,  7)

* 96P/Machholz 1
Not yet observed in this return. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is observable in the evening sky until mid December when it will be 12 mag. In the Northern Hemisphere, it appears after perihelion passage, late January, but will be fainter than 12 mag. So visual observation will be impossible. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  17 56.90  -49 38.7   1.901   1.349    42   15.1     17.3  69.5  18:21 ( 36,-11)  
Nov. 24  18  9.26  -48 54.8   1.831   1.224    38   14.6     19.5  70.7  18:18 ( 38,-12)

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )
It is observable until 2002 autumn at 15 mag. But it is as faint as 16 mag by CCD. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  10 46.87   70 45.5   4.621   4.918   101   14.7     10.2  60.0   5:08 (195, 51)  
Nov. 24  10 58.86   71 21.8   4.575   4.920   104   14.7      9.5  55.6   5:14 (192, 52)

* P/2001 Q2 ( Petriew )
Fading rapidly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  10 19.18   -5 59.8   1.275   1.416    76   14.8     25.1 128.5   5:08 (329, 44)  
Nov. 24  10 27.55   -7 44.2   1.278   1.481    80   15.3     21.4 131.7   5:14 (338, 45)

* 2001 TX16
New asteroid. It will approach to the earth and reach to 13.8 mag in January and February. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17   7 41.55   24 33.8   0.830   1.590   121   15.7     30.6  78.4   3:57 (  0, 80)  
Nov. 24   7 56.83   25 20.1   0.765   1.560   125   15.4     30.2  76.2   3:45 (  0, 80)

* C/2001 N2 ( LINEAR )
It will be 14.5 mag in 2002 July. Although it will be unobesrvable in January, it will appear again at dawn soon. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  20 10.00   21 37.4   3.917   3.865    79   16.3     12.7 193.8  18:21 ( 70, 61)  
Nov. 24  20  8.91   20 14.9   3.977   3.817    73   16.3     11.3 187.0  18:18 ( 74, 55)

* 16P/Brooks 2
Although it has been 16 mag since July, it will fade out after this and 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)  
Nov. 17   5 14.90   13 34.1   1.176   2.110   154   16.3     10.6 251.8   1:31 (  0, 69)  
Nov. 24   5  9.60   13 13.3   1.180   2.139   161   16.5     12.2 257.6   0:59 (  0, 68)

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )
After the small outburst up to 15 mag in July, it is fading out slowly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  20 49.66   -1  0.9   7.113   7.015    80   16.4      2.9  59.6  18:21 ( 31, 50)  
Nov. 24  20 51.03   -0 49.6   7.270   7.060    73   16.4      3.8  62.2  18:18 ( 39, 47)

* 61P/Shajn-Schaldach
It was reported at 17.8 mag in October, a bit fainter than this ephemeris. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17   6 17.41   14 32.5   1.840   2.671   139   16.5      6.0 252.8   2:34 (  0, 70)  
Nov. 24   6 14.05   14 21.8   1.810   2.693   147   16.5      8.2 260.9   2:03 (  0, 69)

* 65P/Gunn
It will be 15 mag in next spring at opposition. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  11 19.12   14 57.4   3.935   3.720    70   16.6     12.9 103.2   5:08 (292, 52)  
Nov. 24  11 24.96   14 38.6   3.816   3.700    75   16.5     11.9 101.6   5:14 (300, 56)

* 2001 OG108
New asteroid with 50-year period. It closes to the earth down to 0.55 AU in 2001 April and reaches to 14 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  22 15.49   22 30.2   1.507   2.035   107   16.7     27.7 265.8  18:28 (  0, 77)  
Nov. 24  22  2.87   22 17.8   1.546   1.954    98   16.7     22.5 266.6  18:18 ( 29, 76)

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )
No observations reported recently. However, it had been hardly fading for almost one year after the perihelion passage in 2000 July, and was bright at 15 mag in 2001 May. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17   7 26.30  -20 50.6   5.141   5.553   109   16.7      6.9 269.3   3:42 (  0, 34)  
Nov. 24   7 22.56  -20 48.6   5.107   5.599   115   16.8      8.1 274.8   3:11 (  0, 34)

* C/2001 B2 ( NEAT )
It will keep 17 mag until 2002 March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  10 48.79    2 23.3   6.455   6.223    72   17.0      2.3 333.8   5:08 (314, 48)  
Nov. 24  10 48.06    2 39.4   6.355   6.249    79   17.0      3.3 320.5   5:14 (325, 52)

* C/2001 RX14 ( LINEAR )
New comet. It will be 10.5 mag in 2003 February. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17   1 22.11   22 40.5   4.115   4.996   150   17.1      8.6 258.7  21:35 (  0, 78)  
Nov. 24   1 18.09   22 28.5   4.116   4.938   142   17.0      7.6 257.1  21:03 (  0, 77)

* P/2001 R1 ( LONEOS )
New periodic comet. It will reach to 16 mag in February. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  21 47.21  -18 47.3   1.424   1.705    88   17.1     23.2  57.0  18:21 (  6, 36)  
Nov. 24  21 57.49  -17 14.5   1.448   1.662    83   17.0     26.3  58.3  18:18 ( 10, 37)

* (3200) Phaethon
It will pass the perihelion in 2002 April. The condition in this return is bad. It is only observable at 17 mag at best before perihelion passage. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17   3 48.38   39  4.2   1.176   2.130   159   17.2     37.9 257.4   0:06 (180, 86)  
Nov. 24   3 25.62   37 47.8   1.132   2.092   161   17.1     41.2 251.3  23:09 (180, 87)

* P/2001 Q5 ( LINEAR-NEAT )
New periodic comet. It will fade out after this and will be fainter than 18 mag in late December. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17   1 23.41   26  7.8   1.455   2.365   150   17.1      7.1 231.1  21:36 (  0, 81)  
Nov. 24   1 21.30   25 37.3   1.522   2.390   143   17.2      5.0 212.1  21:07 (  0, 81)

* 44P/Reinmuth 2
Fading. 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)  
Nov. 17   5 34.40   30 10.0   1.915   2.812   149   17.1     10.9 264.7   1:51 (  0, 85)  
Nov. 24   5 28.06   30  0.6   1.908   2.846   157   17.2     12.6 262.4   1:17 (  0, 85)

* 110P/Hartley 3
It keeps 17 mag until 2002 February, but locates low in the south. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  11 31.62   -5 39.2   3.228   2.853    59   17.1     19.8 123.1   5:08 (309, 35)  
Nov. 24  11 39.16   -6 54.2   3.162   2.871    64   17.2     18.8 124.4   5:14 (316, 38)

* P/2001 R6 ( LINEAR-Skiff )
New periodic comet. It will fade out after this and 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)  
Nov. 17   0 47.79  -15 50.3   1.373   2.122   127   17.3     16.0 359.3  21:01 (  0, 39)  
Nov. 24   0 48.42  -13 54.9   1.433   2.128   121   17.4     17.1   9.3  20:34 (  0, 41)

* C/2000 K2 ( LINEAR )
It did not begin to fade out even after the perihelion passage. It had been at the conjunction for a while, and still keeps the brightness. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17   1 38.50    1 20.6   3.884   4.749   147   17.4      6.2 232.6  21:51 (  0, 56)  
Nov. 24   1 36.47    0 57.1   4.003   4.803   140   17.5      4.8 231.6  21:22 (  0, 56)

* P/2001 T3 ( NEAT )
New periodic comet. It will be fading after this and be fainter than 18 mag in January. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17   1 21.84   -5 17.7   1.748   2.588   140   17.4     11.3 321.9  21:35 (  0, 50)  
Nov. 24   1 19.13   -4 11.4   1.790   2.574   133   17.5     11.0 335.6  21:05 (  0, 51)

* 51P/Harrington
It bursted out in late September, with about 3 mag amplitude, and reached to 14 mag. Then it is fading rapidly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17   5 45.49   12 50.8   1.332   2.226   146   17.4     12.2 275.2   2:02 (  0, 68)  
Nov. 24   5 39.12   13  0.8   1.335   2.268   154   18.0     14.4 277.0   1:28 (  0, 68)

* 31P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 2
It will be observable at 17 mag in January and February. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17   9 25.03   15 52.4   3.169   3.418    96   17.7      8.5 101.0   5:08 (337, 70)  
Nov. 24   9 28.65   15 43.2   3.067   3.416   102   17.6      6.7  98.8   5:14 (358, 71)

* 124P/Mrkos
It will be 15.5 mag in the evening sky in 2002 spring. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17   5 24.79   66 37.6   1.966   2.698   128   17.8     15.2 323.4   1:42 (180, 58)  
Nov. 24   5 12.18   67 55.7   1.900   2.656   131   17.6     15.4 310.8   1:02 (180, 57)

* 116P/Wild 4
It will be 10.5 mag in 2003 spring. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17   6 28.56   27 32.3   2.605   3.406   138   17.9      5.3 287.5   2:45 (  0, 83)  
Nov. 24   6 25.31   27 43.5   2.518   3.381   145   17.7      7.4 282.4   2:14 (  0, 83)

* 151P/2001 M1 ( Helin )
Although it rapidly brightened and reached to 17 mag, it will be fading out after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  23 53.66   -6  7.3   1.912   2.569   121   17.7      7.4  62.8  20:07 (  0, 49)  
Nov. 24  23 57.26   -5 39.8   1.998   2.579   115   17.8      9.8  63.0  19:43 (  0, 49)

* C/1999 T1 ( McNaught-Hartley )
Fading gradually. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  18 34.81   46 41.6   4.567   4.464    77   17.8     16.9 116.1  18:21 (123, 49)  
Nov. 24  18 45.08   45 52.7   4.663   4.533    76   17.9     16.6 113.0  18:18 (122, 46)

* C/2001 A2 ( LINEAR )
Very diffused and hard to observe. Now it is very faint even by CCD. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 17  20 49.51   12 38.1   2.795   2.881    84   17.8     15.4  90.5  18:21 ( 43, 62)  
Nov. 24  20 56.96   12 39.9   2.966   2.966    80   18.1     15.8  87.6  18:18 ( 50, 59)

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