Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2002 Mar. 23: North)

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Updated on March 27, 2002
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Northern Hemisphere.

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* C/2002 C1 ( Ikeya-Zhang )


The return of comet in 1661 with 340 year period. Long tail over 3 degree is visible. It will reach to 3 mag in late March. It locates in the evening sky until March, then it locates in the morning sky after April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23   1 25.44   24 38.3   0.743   0.516    30    3.6     80.4 351.8  19:38 (113, 11)  
Mar. 30   1 12.51   34  4.5   0.628   0.571    31    3.6     89.2 336.2  19:44 (127,  8)  

* C/2000 WM1 ( LINEAR )


It suddenly bursted out in late January and reached to 2.5 mag. Then it is fading rapidly, and now it is 8.5 mag. But it still has a long tail about 30 arcmin.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  19 17.96   -5  1.0   1.237   1.337    72    8.7     48.7 351.0   4:35 (308, 35)  
Mar. 30  19 13.61    0 34.6   1.239   1.449    79    9.2     49.0 347.0   4:25 (309, 42)  

* C/2002 F1 ( Utsunomiya )


New comet. It will be 6.5 mag in late April. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is observable only until mid April being very low in the morning sky. After the perihelion passage, it will be observable in the Southern Hemisphere, but it locates very low in the evening sky. It will locate high after August, but will be fainter than 15 mag at that time.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  22  1.22    8 59.1   1.514   0.861    32    9.8     83.9  49.4   4:35 (268, 12)  
Mar. 30  22 35.93   15 51.9   1.370   0.734    31    8.8    103.9  52.5   4:25 (260, 13)  

* C/2001 OG108 ( LONEOS )


It brightened rapidly and reached to 10 mag in February. Then it keeps 10 mag, the brightening is a bit slower.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  21 42.17   58 33.0   0.875   1.002    64    9.2     70.4   4.7   4:35 (219, 36)  
Mar. 30  21 50.69   68  9.1   0.747   1.024    70    9.0     96.8   6.3   4:25 (207, 38)  

* C/2002 E2 ( Snyder-Murakami )


New comet. It will move northwards after this. It keeps observable until it fades out in the Northerm Hemisphere. It keeps brighter than 12 mag until May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  19  7.16   11 18.0   1.432   1.524    75   10.1     69.9  11.7   4:35 (296, 48)  
Mar. 30  19 13.49   19 33.3   1.388   1.553    79   10.1     73.8   9.3   4:25 (288, 55)  

* 6P/d'Arrest


The condition in this return is bad. It is not observable until June in the Southern Hemisphere, until August in the Northern Hemisphere.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  23 54.77   -7 33.4   2.433   1.458     9   12.7     48.1  75.3   4:35 (265,-20)  
Mar. 30   0 16.33   -6  8.1   2.459   1.489    10   12.5     46.9  75.0   4:25 (263,-20)  

* C/2000 SV74 ( LINEAR )


It will be observable at 13 mag until September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  23 56.58   61 45.0   3.938   3.562    60   12.9     15.8  34.8   4:35 (209, 22)  
Mar. 30   0  5.88   63 19.5   3.950   3.556    59   12.9     16.9  33.4   4:25 (208, 23)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


Appearing at dawn. No observations have been reported since 2001 November.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  20 46.81  -19 46.5   6.390   5.851    53   13.8      9.5  72.2   4:35 (302,  9)  
Mar. 30  20 51.11  -19 26.7   6.296   5.849    59   13.7      8.8  71.7   4:25 (304, 12)  

* 15P/Finlay


It bursted out in early February and reached to 13.5 mag. 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)  
Mar. 23   1 53.53   12  8.5   1.980   1.202    28   14.2     61.2  67.4  19:38 ( 98, 10)  
Mar. 30   2 20.24   14 43.8   2.035   1.252    28   14.5     58.6  69.0  19:44 (101, 10)  

* 19P/Borrelly


Fading now. But it was brighter than the ephemeris recently, 13 mag in mid February. 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)  
Mar. 23  11 57.75   52 38.1   1.662   2.392   126   14.2     14.4 243.0  23:53 (180, 72)  
Mar. 30  11 48.67   51 42.1   1.741   2.442   123   14.4     14.4 229.7  23:16 (180, 73)  

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )


It is observable until autumn at 15 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  10  2.87   74 41.8   4.738   5.044   102   14.9      9.2 200.9  21:59 (180, 50)  
Mar. 30   9 58.20   73 38.0   4.801   5.056    99   14.9      9.8 192.8  21:27 (180, 51)  

* P/2001 MD7 ( LINEAR )


Fading rapidly after February. It will be fainter than 16 mag in May when it becomes low.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23   4 12.33   13 48.2   2.091   1.842    61   15.0     39.2  71.3  19:38 ( 79, 39)  
Mar. 30   4 29.96   15 10.0   2.202   1.898    59   15.2     37.6  73.1  19:44 ( 83, 36)  

* 65P/Gunn


It will be observable at 15 mag until August when it becomes low in the evening sky. It was observed visually these days.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  11 17.54   20  5.3   2.418   3.352   155   15.0     10.7 284.5  23:13 (  0, 75)  
Mar. 30  11 12.59   20 20.1   2.435   3.330   148   15.0      9.6 279.2  22:41 (  0, 75)  

* C/2001 W2 ( BATTeRS )


It appears at dawn in the Southern Hemisphere. It was reported as 14.7 mag on Mar. 14, but uncertain. Northern people can never see it again.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  21 26.45  -47 23.8   1.998   1.725    59   15.0     39.0 151.5   4:35 (318,-15)  
Mar. 30  21 40.03  -51 31.6   1.956   1.803    66   15.3     41.3 152.6   4:25 (322,-17)  

* C/2001 N2 ( LINEAR )


Getting higher in the morning sky. It will be 13 mag in June and July.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  20 35.17   15 32.3   3.559   3.089    54   15.2      4.6 353.4   4:35 (274, 33)  
Mar. 30  20 34.50   16  6.1   3.428   3.053    59   15.0      5.6 336.0   4:25 (276, 37)  

* 7P/Pons-Winnecke


It was as faint as 16.5 mag in mid March. It may reach only to 13.5 mag in May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  18  4.48    1 51.7   0.989   1.414    90   15.5     49.9  97.5   4:35 (324, 51)  
Mar. 30  18 27.95    1  2.2   0.928   1.379    91   15.1     51.7  98.6   4:25 (322, 50)  

* 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)  
Mar. 23  10 32.51   -9 11.7   4.382   5.301   154   15.3     19.2 292.9  22:28 (  0, 46)  
Mar. 30  10 24.34   -8 18.5   4.380   5.250   147   15.2     18.6 294.5  21:52 (  0, 47)  

* 2001 TX16


Asteroid with a cometary orbit of 6.8 year period. Fading now.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  10  4.87   31 14.4   0.722   1.600   136   15.2     19.5 145.4  22:02 (  0, 86)  
Mar. 30  10 11.35   29 18.9   0.782   1.633   132   15.4     21.2 142.6  21:41 (  0, 84)  

* C/2001 K5 ( LINEAR )


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)  
Mar. 23  17  9.21    1 24.6   5.062   5.401   104   15.3     11.1   4.9   4:35 (345, 56)  
Mar. 30  17  9.35    2 43.3   4.951   5.386   110   15.3     11.5 358.1   4:25 (352, 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)  
Mar. 23   5 45.81   27  6.4   2.864   2.944    84   15.5     11.5  93.6  19:38 ( 80, 64)  
Mar. 30   5 52.29   27  1.0   2.935   2.918    79   15.5     13.2  93.4  19:44 ( 85, 59)  

* 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)  
Mar. 23  12  4.69    6 19.0   1.815   2.807   172   16.0     14.8 297.8   0:05 (  0, 61)  
Mar. 30  11 58.47    7  6.0   1.786   2.766   166   15.8     14.7 296.1  23:26 (  0, 62)  

* 77P/Longmore


Now it is at the peak.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  10 47.29   30  2.3   1.684   2.556   143   16.0     15.3 239.9  22:43 (  0, 85)  
Mar. 30  10 40.75   29  2.1   1.708   2.537   137   15.9     14.6 229.5  22:09 (  0, 84)  

* P/2001 TU80 ( LINEAR-NEAT )


It bursted out and reached to 15 mag in early January.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23   8 28.63   25 18.3   1.423   2.116   120   16.0     11.2 101.6  20:26 (  0, 80)  
Mar. 30   8 34.85   24 59.1   1.510   2.139   115   16.2     13.5 103.7  20:04 (  0, 80)  

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh


It keeps brighter than 17 mag until August.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  16  1.19  -16 46.6   3.226   3.829   120   16.2      0.1 199.9   4:00 (  0, 38)  
Mar. 30  16  0.72  -16 46.1   3.146   3.837   127   16.2      1.9 276.3   3:32 (  0, 38)  

* C/1999 T2 ( LINEAR )


Fading. It will be about 18 mag in June when it becomes low in the evening.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  12 39.62  -13 33.1   4.436   5.405   165   16.6     16.5 272.0   0:40 (  0, 41)  
Mar. 30  12 31.72  -13 27.4   4.467   5.454   170   16.6     16.4 273.6   0:04 (  0, 42)  

* C/2001 B2 ( NEAT )


Fading very slowly. It was brighter than the ephemeris recently, reported around 16 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23   9 28.36   14 38.9   5.964   6.733   137   16.6     11.6 300.2  21:24 (  0, 70)  
Mar. 30   9 23.79   15 17.9   6.085   6.763   129   16.7     10.3 300.8  20:52 (  0, 70)  

* C/2002 A3 ( LINEAR )


It will be getting fainter and lower after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23   6 35.16   -2 51.0   4.942   5.157    96   16.9     10.5  26.2  19:38 ( 26, 49)  
Mar. 30   6 37.61   -1 46.4   5.036   5.154    91   16.9     10.8  33.0  19:44 ( 37, 47)  

* 95P/(2060) Chiron


It keeps 17 mag locating at the same altitude until October in the Northerm Hemisphere.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  18 36.18  -16 57.4  11.375  11.306    83   17.2      2.3  70.4   4:35 (326, 31)  
Mar. 30  18 37.08  -16 52.1  11.272  11.319    90   17.2      1.7  64.4   4:25 (330, 33)  

* C/2002 B2 ( LINEAR )


Moving northwards gradually. But it will be fainter than 18 mag in May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23   9 33.78  -21 13.1   3.053   3.845   137   17.3     31.4 299.8  21:29 (  0, 34)  
Mar. 30   9 20.96  -19 22.1   3.119   3.843   130   17.3     29.0 303.3  20:49 (  0, 36)  

* 31P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 2


Already passed the peak and fading now.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23   8 53.27   20 25.0   2.715   3.418   127   17.3      1.1 295.9  20:50 (  0, 75)  
Mar. 30   8 53.25   20 26.2   2.799   3.421   120   17.4      1.0  98.6  20:22 (  0, 75)  

* P/2002 CW134 ( LINEAR )


New periodic comet. Now it is at the peak, and it will fade out soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 23  12 39.17  -16 32.3   0.875   1.850   162   17.4     18.1 229.2   0:39 (  0, 39)  
Mar. 30  12 32.27  -17 48.6   0.873   1.858   165   17.4     17.4 235.1   0:05 (  0, 37)  

* 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)  
Mar. 23   8 36.61    0 30.2   2.666   3.363   127   17.4     26.8 312.2  20:32 (  0, 56)  
Mar. 30   8 28.33    2 28.8   2.828   3.418   118   17.6     22.3 315.4  19:57 (  0, 58)  

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