Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2002 Jan. 19: North)

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 Updated on February 1, 2002
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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 has not been brightening well since late November. It is getting fainter a bit apparently. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is not obesrvable until late February. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  20 33.01  -53 18.8   0.971   0.562    33    6.2     48.6 295.0  18:43 ( 43,-28)  
Jan. 26  20  3.25  -49 51.5   1.058   0.561    31    6.4     50.5 317.2   5:35 (314,-27)

* 96P/Machholz 1
It was in the field of SOHO LASCO from Jan. 7 to 10. It brightened rapidly and reached to -1 mag on Jan. 8. Now it is appearing at dawn, but extremely low. KenIchi Kadota succeeded to observe it on Jan. 13 at 5.5 mag. It will fade out rapidly while locating low. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  19  4.41   -9 31.2   1.230   0.422    17    8.6     15.6  68.2   5:37 (282,  0)  
Jan. 26  19 12.73   -9 22.2   1.415   0.617    21   11.2     19.1  93.5   5:35 (284,  3)

* C/2001 W2 ( BATTeRS )
It bursted out and reached to 11 mag around Dec. 8. Then it faded a bit, but kept 11 mag until mid December. It was very faint in late December by Yusuke Ezaki's observations. It is already unobservable. It will appear at dawn in late February in the Southern Hemisphere, but northern people can never see it again. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  19 55.08  -17 42.3   2.113   1.133     3   12.2     33.7 146.9   5:37 (281,-15)  
Jan. 26  20  4.09  -20 55.1   2.149   1.178     7   12.4     32.5 146.3   5:35 (286,-13)

* P/2001 MD7 ( LINEAR )
It has already passed the perihelion, but keeps as bright as 12 mag since November. 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)  
Jan. 19   1  8.67   -7 52.9   1.295   1.401    74   12.7     57.2  61.5  18:43 ( 30, 43)  
Jan. 26   1 31.90   -4 44.1   1.356   1.441    74   12.9     55.4  61.5  18:49 ( 35, 44)

* 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)  
Jan. 19  23  3.10   54 15.6   3.634   3.665    84   12.9      3.3  74.2  18:43 (135, 49)  
Jan. 26  23  6.12   54 26.9   3.684   3.649    80   12.9      4.9  61.7  18:49 (135, 44)

* 19P/Borrelly
Fading now. But it was brighter than the ephemeris recently, 11.5 mag in late December and 12.5 mag in mid January. 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)  
Jan. 19  12 56.39   44 35.8   1.296   1.940   115   12.9     17.3  19.5   5:04 (180, 80)  
Jan. 26  12 58.79   46 29.0   1.309   1.989   119   13.2     16.0   5.3   4:39 (180, 79)

* C/2001 X1 ( LINEAR )
It has a long folded tail. Although it keeps 13.5 mag until mid February, it locates very low in the Northern Hemisphere. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  10 16.84  -38 30.3   1.056   1.704   113   13.4    102.0 236.4   2:27 (  0, 17)  
Jan. 26   9 18.64  -44  3.4   1.034   1.715   116   13.4    106.0 248.6   1:02 (  0, 11)

* 2001 TX16
Asteroid with a cometary orbit of 6.8 year period. Now it is at the peak. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19   9 31.62   35 41.9   0.485   1.439   155   13.8     15.1  45.1   1:39 (180, 89)  
Jan. 26   9 36.93   36 47.2   0.483   1.442   157   13.8     11.1  44.5   1:17 (180, 88)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
Now observable. it will appear again at dawn in 2001 April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  19 57.47  -23  0.1   6.851   5.868     2   13.9     12.3  76.2   5:37 (286,-18)  
Jan. 26  20  3.52  -22 39.2   6.840   5.866     7   13.9     12.3  75.8   5:35 (288,-14)

* 15P/Finlay
Not yet observed in this return. It keeps brighter than 16 mag until April. But the condition is worst. It always locates very low in the evening sky. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  21 38.38  -15 58.6   1.904   1.069    22   14.3     62.8  69.9  18:43 ( 68,  3)  
Jan. 26  22  7.10  -13 17.6   1.878   1.049    23   14.2     64.8  68.1  18:49 ( 71,  4)

* P/2001 Q6 ( NEAT )
Because it is fading now, a few observations are reported. It was 13.0 mag in early January. It 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)  
Jan. 19  18 16.43   64 29.0   1.403   1.677    87   14.3     13.1 347.2   5:37 (212, 39)  
Jan. 26  18 12.03   66  9.2   1.434   1.725    88   14.7     16.5 342.3   5:35 (209, 42)

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )
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)  
Jan. 19  11 35.22   76 38.3   4.418   4.957   118   14.7      5.1 331.6   3:43 (180, 48)  
Jan. 26  11 28.84   77  6.7   4.428   4.965   117   14.7      5.1 313.8   3:09 (180, 48)

* P/2001 TU80 ( LINEAR-NEAT )
It bursted out in early January. Now it is as bright as 15 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19   8 31.83   21 52.0   0.982   1.962   173   14.9     11.4 315.3   0:40 (  0, 77)  
Jan. 26   8 27.70   22 47.0   0.990   1.973   175   14.9     11.2 312.8   0:09 (  0, 78)

* C/1999 Y1 ( LINEAR )
Fading rapidly, as expected. Northern people can never see it again. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  21 32.37  -49 57.9   4.983   4.208    34   15.1      5.8  86.6  18:43 ( 41,-18)  
Jan. 26  21 36.69  -49 57.5   5.036   4.251    33   15.2      6.1  92.3  18:49 ( 44,-22)

* C/2000 CT54 ( LINEAR )
Although it will be unobservable soon, it will be observable again at 16.5 mag in summer. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  23 24.19  -31  4.1   4.369   3.754    46   15.4     20.4  38.8  18:43 ( 41, 10)  
Jan. 26  23 31.15  -29 14.7   4.467   3.790    41   15.5     20.2  40.4  18:49 ( 46,  8)

* 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)  
Jan. 19  11 50.12   15  5.1   2.871   3.540   125   15.7      3.7 358.5   3:58 (  0, 70)  
Jan. 26  11 49.60   15 33.5   2.773   3.519   133   15.6      4.9 334.7   3:30 (  0, 71)

* 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)  
Jan. 19   5 38.67   28  8.0   2.313   3.178   146   15.9      9.0 263.9  21:43 (  0, 83)  
Jan. 26   5 34.48   28  0.6   2.349   3.153   138   15.8      6.9 260.7  21:11 (  0, 83)

* C/2001 K5 ( LINEAR )
Appearing at dawn. It will be 15 mag in spring and summer. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  16 44.49   -7 28.0   6.137   5.552    49   15.9     11.2  58.7   5:37 (303, 28)  
Jan. 26  16 48.85   -6 45.3   6.029   5.534    55   15.8     11.0  54.6   5:35 (307, 32)

* C/2001 HT50 ( LINEAR-NEAT )
It will be 11 mag in 2003 February. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  11 39.15  -13 34.4   5.245   5.759   117   16.2      9.8 272.2   3:47 (  0, 41)  
Jan. 26  11 34.06  -13 29.1   5.087   5.708   124   16.0     11.5 275.7   3:14 (  0, 41)

* C/1999 J2 ( Skiff )
Appearing at dawn. It keeps the same brightness until 2002 September when it becomes low in the evening sky. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  15 41.91  -10 24.9   8.630   8.237    63   16.3      3.8 137.2   5:37 (319, 35)  
Jan. 26  15 42.99  -10 44.0   8.542   8.259    70   16.3      3.3 144.2   5:35 (326, 38)

* C/1999 T2 ( LINEAR )
Appearing at dawn. It keeps the same brightness until 2002 April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  13 32.49  -11 31.4   4.821   4.972    93   16.4      7.1 232.7   5:37 (359, 43)  
Jan. 26  13 29.41  -11 60.0   4.742   5.019   100   16.4      8.2 242.1   5:09 (  0, 43)

* C/2000 OF8 ( Spacewatch )
Fading. It will be fainter than 18 mag in April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  11  3.52  -20 28.4   2.267   2.886   119   16.4     35.2 288.4   3:12 (  0, 34)  
Jan. 26  10 46.07  -18 58.4   2.205   2.937   130   16.4     39.6 291.5   2:27 (  0, 36)

* C/1999 K5 ( LINEAR )
Fading slowly. It keeps brighter than 17 mag until mid March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19   6 41.54  -16 34.4   5.208   5.974   137   16.5     12.9 309.3  22:46 (  0, 39)  
Jan. 26   6 36.88  -15 34.8   5.281   6.021   135   16.5     12.7 313.9  22:13 (  0, 39)

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh
Appearing at dawn. It reaches to 16 mag in 2002 spring. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  15 29.14  -15  5.2   4.067   3.760    65   16.5     13.6 104.0   5:37 (325, 33)  
Jan. 26  15 35.30  -15 26.8   3.977   3.767    70   16.5     12.6 103.4   5:35 (331, 34)

* 16P/Brooks 2
It has been 16 mag since July. Then it must have fade out, but on the contraty it brightened and reached to 15 mag in November. Now it is fading. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19   4 39.46   13 54.9   1.633   2.397   131   16.7      4.0  28.6  20:44 (  0, 69)  
Jan. 26   4 41.05   14 21.0   1.734   2.431   124   16.9      6.1  50.2  20:18 (  0, 69)

* C/2001 RX14 ( LINEAR )
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)  
Jan. 19   1 10.79   22  6.8   4.423   4.467    86   16.7      4.5  68.1  18:43 ( 62, 67)  
Jan. 26   1 13.25   22 20.7   4.473   4.408    79   16.7      6.0  67.5  18:49 ( 72, 61)

* 77P/Longmore
It reaches only to 16 mag in 2002 spring. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  11 41.92   30  3.4   2.003   2.742   130   17.0      3.6 336.3   3:50 (  0, 85)  
Jan. 26  11 40.37   30 27.6   1.923   2.720   136   16.8      5.6 309.6   3:21 (  0, 85)

* 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)  
Jan. 19  10 21.89    7  7.5   5.647   6.469   143   16.9     13.6 300.8   2:30 (  0, 62)  
Jan. 26  10 16.19    7 57.6   5.607   6.497   152   16.9     14.5 300.4   1:57 (  0, 63)

* P/2001 R1 ( LONEOS )
Akimasa Nakamura reported that it is as faint as 17 mag. It will be observable at 17 mag until March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  23 58.09    0  1.0   1.587   1.402    60   17.0     45.7  60.6  18:43 ( 55, 39)  
Jan. 26   0 17.06    2 40.3   1.602   1.385    59   16.9     47.4  61.0  18:49 ( 61, 39)

* 44P/Reinmuth 2
It is a bit brighter than the ephemeris after November. It will be observable for some more time. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19   4 43.75   26 58.0   2.345   3.111   134   16.9      4.4 222.9  20:48 (  0, 82)  
Jan. 26   4 42.84   26 37.1   2.454   3.144   126   17.1      2.8 191.1  20:20 (  0, 82)

* 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)  
Jan. 19   9 24.91   17 17.2   2.465   3.408   160   17.1      9.0 296.5   1:33 (  0, 72)  
Jan. 26   9 20.73   17 45.9   2.438   3.409   168   17.1      9.9 295.0   1:01 (  0, 73)

* C/2002 A3 ( LINEAR )
New comet. It keeps 17.5 mag until spring when it becomes low in the evening sky. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19   6 40.00  -12 52.2   4.344   5.145   140   17.3      9.8 322.4  22:44 (  0, 42)  
Jan. 26   6 37.32  -11 55.2   4.362   5.137   138   17.3     10.0 328.5  22:14 (  0, 43)

* C/2001 W1 ( LINEAR )
Fading. It will be fainter than 18 mag in February. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19   3 52.00   39 48.5   1.729   2.416   123   17.5     39.4 280.7  19:55 (180, 85)  
Jan. 26   3 30.94   40 27.9   1.866   2.426   112   17.7     30.7 278.4  19:07 (180, 84)

* C/2002 A2 ( LINEAR )
New comet with 80 year period. C/2002 A1 and C/2002 A2 are pair, splitted from one comet. They show the same motion within 1 degree after this. C/2002 A1 is fainter than 18 mag. C/2002 A2 will be fainter than 18 mag in March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19   6 59.14   30  7.4   3.768   4.716   162   17.6      6.3 291.1  23:03 (  0, 85)  
Jan. 26   6 56.15   30 21.9   3.807   4.720   155   17.6      5.5 290.1  22:33 (  0, 85)

* 22P/Kopff
The condition in this return is bad. We can observe it only until August before perihelion passage when it becomes to 13 mag in the evening sky. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19  12 27.07    1 38.8   2.643   3.161   113   17.9      4.2  85.7   4:34 (  0, 57)  
Jan. 26  12 28.59    1 44.4   2.514   3.123   119   17.7      2.6  60.3   4:08 (  0, 57)

* (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)  
Jan. 19   1 43.26   20 24.3   1.305   1.669    92   17.8     12.7 189.3  18:43 ( 43, 71)  
Jan. 26   1 43.27   19  5.0   1.348   1.599    85   17.8     10.4 169.0  18:49 ( 56, 65)

* 11P/2001 X3 ( Tempel-Swift-LINEAR )
Recovered after 93 year gap. It will fade out after this and become fainter than 18 mag in late January. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19   1  7.56    8 28.3   1.437   1.596    80   17.8     41.2  81.2  18:43 ( 43, 57)  
Jan. 26   1 26.85    9 13.5   1.496   1.606    77   17.9     41.5  80.7  18:49 ( 49, 55)

* 51P/Harrington
Splitted in early December. Although the combined magnitude is still 16 mag, each necleus is already as faint as 18 mag. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 19   4 54.25   16 21.2   1.823   2.614   135   17.8      5.2 331.7  20:59 (  0, 71)  
Jan. 26   4 53.76   16 53.3   1.935   2.657   128   18.2      4.6   4.9  20:31 (  0, 72)

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