Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2002 Aug. 17: North)

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Updated on August 16, 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 O6 ( SWAN )


New comet. It keeps 6 mag until mid September, but it will be lower than 10 deg after mid August. When it begins to be higher again in late October, it will be fainter than 11 mag. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is not observable until November.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17   8 13.35   36  9.5   0.341   0.739    30    5.9    215.0  65.3   3:49 (235, 13)  
Aug. 24   9 40.99   40 41.1   0.499   0.631    30    6.0    103.8  86.3   3:56 (224,  7)  

* C/2002 O4 ( Hoenig )


New comet. It is approaching to the early and is observable in good condition at 8 mag. The perihelion passage is on Oct. 1 and it keeps 8-9 mag until November. However, it becomes low in September and October. In the Southern Hemishpere, it is not observable until late November.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  19 12.63   79 44.5   0.668   1.159    84    8.3    131.0 289.7  21:05 (180, 45)  
Aug. 24  14 49.77   75 13.2   0.727   1.070    74    8.1    108.9 224.1  20:07 (163, 43)  

* 46P/Wirtanen


Some reported it as 12.5 mag by CCD, or 10.0 mag visually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17   7  2.43   20 41.7   1.635   1.067    39   12.5     65.0  87.9   3:49 (256, 17)  
Aug. 24   7 34.67   20 45.2   1.641   1.059    38   12.4     64.1  90.8   3:56 (257, 18)  

* 22P/Kopff


It is very low in the evening sky. It will appear at dawn in next June at 15.5 mag and will be fading.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  13  8.31   -3  9.0   2.381   1.949    53   13.3     29.9 114.7  20:18 ( 77, 12)  
Aug. 24  13 21.37   -4 37.8   2.399   1.913    49   13.1     31.4 114.2  20:07 ( 77, 10)  

* C/2000 SV74 ( LINEAR )


It is as faint as 15 mag by CCD. It is also fainter than 13 mag visually these days.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  12 37.40   65 17.2   4.089   3.678    59   13.1     23.9 150.6  20:18 (149, 35)  
Aug. 24  12 49.78   62 53.6   4.115   3.695    58   13.2     23.3 150.0  20:07 (147, 34)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


It bursted out in early August and it is now 12 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  20 44.26  -18 24.9   4.831   5.813   164   13.2      6.6 262.3  23:01 (  0, 37)  
Aug. 24  20 41.16  -18 30.5   4.866   5.811   157   13.2      6.1 263.1  22:30 (  0, 36)  

* 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko


It was observed at 15.0 mag on June 18, as bright as expected. It will reach to 13.5 mag between July and October.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17   6 28.36   24 13.5   1.740   1.292    47   13.3     53.8  87.6   3:49 (257, 26)  
Aug. 24   6 55.67   24 19.3   1.730   1.294    47   13.3     52.9  90.2   3:56 (258, 27)  

* 116P/Wild 4


After conjunction, it will appear at dawn at 13 mag in October.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17   9 42.19   16  6.2   3.442   2.431     2   13.8     29.2 109.9   3:49 (237,-16)  
Aug. 24   9 55.52   14 54.7   3.416   2.411     5   13.7     29.5 110.7   3:56 (241,-13)  

* C/2001 K5 ( LINEAR )


Strongly condensed.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  16 15.97   19  3.9   5.054   5.201    92   13.7      1.0 120.4  20:18 ( 62, 62)  
Aug. 24  16 16.73   18 59.1   5.138   5.197    87   13.7      2.3 110.6  20:07 ( 67, 59)  

* C/2001 RX14 ( LINEAR )


Getting brighter as expected. It will be observable at 10 mag in the good condition for a long time from winter to next spring.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17   6  7.17   46  9.8   3.174   2.738    55   13.9     27.4  75.7   3:49 (235, 38)  
Aug. 24   6 25.39   46 54.3   3.062   2.687    59   13.7     27.8  77.1   3:56 (235, 41)  

* 153P/2002 C1 ( Ikeya-Zhang )


Extremely diffused and hard to observe. Although the total magnitude is 12 mag, the central part is fainter than 15 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  15 45.01  -11 15.4   2.438   2.683    92   13.8     15.6 130.5  20:18 ( 41, 34)  
Aug. 24  15 50.86  -12 22.9   2.626   2.774    87   14.4     15.6 126.1  20:07 ( 43, 31)  

* 28P/Neujmin 1


Stellar object. It will reach to 13 mag at the end of this year. In the northern hemisphere, it keeps low in the south after this. Akimasa Nakamura reported that it was so faint as 17.4 mag on July 31.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  15 13.29  -34 42.2   1.913   2.185    91   14.0     15.2  82.9  20:18 ( 34, 10)  
Aug. 24  15 22.61  -34 30.8   1.937   2.133    86   13.9     17.8  85.7  20:07 ( 35,  9)  

* C/2001 N2 ( LINEAR )


It will be observable at 14 mag until September. After the conjunction, it will be observable again at 15 mag in 2003.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  15 37.60    1  7.8   2.505   2.669    87   14.2     25.6 222.5  20:18 ( 53, 42)  
Aug. 24  15 30.51   -0 59.1   2.646   2.669    80   14.3     21.8 217.1  20:07 ( 57, 37)  

* 57P/du Toit-Neujmin-Delporte


It reaches to 15 mag at best in July and August. However, it bursted out and became 6 mag brighter than this ephemeris in the previous return in 1996. Total 20 nuclei have been discovered.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  19 58.92  -15 11.6   0.768   1.736   154   14.9      4.0 144.1  22:16 (  0, 40)  
Aug. 24  20  0.79  -15 32.8   0.801   1.743   148   15.1      6.1 117.4  21:50 (  0, 39)  

* C/2001 HT50 ( LINEAR-NEAT )


After conjunction, it will appear at dawn at 13.5 mag in October.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17   9 49.89   -0 37.4   5.226   4.252    14   15.0      4.8 110.9  20:18 (110,-27)  
Aug. 24   9 51.97   -0 50.4   5.183   4.204    12   14.9      4.9 114.4   3:56 (254,-22)  

* P/1992 Q1 ( Brewington )


First return of a new periodic comet. It will reach to 10-11 mag in the evening sky during winter and spring.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  20 18.85  -37  6.0   1.569   2.495   149   15.4     14.9 289.3  22:35 (  0, 18)  
Aug. 24  20 11.15  -36 25.1   1.561   2.446   143   15.1     14.0 298.6  22:00 (  0, 19)  

* 65P/Gunn


It will be too low in the evening sky in August.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  12 19.85    5  8.9   3.624   2.909    39   15.2     22.0 118.9  20:18 ( 91,  7)  
Aug. 24  12 29.02    3 53.9   3.659   2.889    34   15.1     22.7 118.4  20:07 ( 91,  5)  

* C/2002 F1 ( Utsunomiya )


Although it did not fade at all in May and kept 8 mag until late May, only two observations by one person in mid June were reported after June. So the current brightness is quite uncertain. It became very diffused and faded out rapidly in mid June, fainter than 10.5 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17   8 24.67  -33 49.5   2.755   2.260    51   15.3     29.4 141.1   3:49 (293,-29)  
Aug. 24   8 34.87  -36 28.8   2.831   2.361    52   15.7     28.5 142.9   3:56 (298,-25)  

* P/1986 A1 ( Shoemaker 3 )


First return of a new periodic comet with a period of 17 years. It will reach to 12 mag in 2003 January and be observable in good condition.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17   5 22.88   19 29.3   2.486   2.213    62   15.7     31.1  84.6   3:49 (271, 37)  
Aug. 24   5 38.31   19 47.1   2.382   2.173    65   15.4     31.4  85.9   3:56 (273, 41)  

* 92P/Sanguin


It will be 15.5 mag in September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  21 44.81   11 21.6   0.880   1.848   155   15.7     13.7 178.9   0:05 (  0, 66)  
Aug. 24  21 45.00    9 33.8   0.857   1.834   158   15.6     17.1 177.8  23:34 (  0, 64)  

* P/2002 O5 ( NEAT )


New periodic comet. It will go far away from the earth after this and will be fainter rapidly. It will be fainter than 18 mag in October.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  17 13.37    9 25.5   0.371   1.185   108   16.1     67.8  54.7  20:18 ( 25, 63)  
Aug. 24  17 39.27   13 27.3   0.403   1.200   108   16.3     61.2  60.4  20:07 ( 24, 67)  

* C/2001 Q4 ( NEAT )


It will be naked eye object in 2004. It is only 16 mag now and locates low in the Northern Hemisphere.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17   3  3.54  -30 45.4   6.976   7.314   105   16.4      7.8 178.9   3:49 (338, 21)  
Aug. 24   3  3.36  -31 41.5   6.845   7.255   110   16.3      8.2 185.7   3:56 (346, 22)  

* C/2000 CT54 ( LINEAR )


No observations have been reported since 2002 January. It will be brighter than 17 mag until September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17   1 32.38   -1 45.9   4.397   5.015   122   16.7      5.2 287.2   3:49 (359, 53)  
Aug. 24   1 29.76   -1 36.2   4.355   5.061   129   16.7      6.4 281.3   3:22 (  0, 53)  

* C/2002 K4 ( NEAT )


It keeps 17 mag until September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  19  3.14   26 39.3   2.091   2.784   123   16.7     29.7 279.6  21:19 (  0, 82)  
Aug. 24  18 48.92   27  4.1   2.174   2.793   117   16.8     25.2 275.4  20:37 (  0, 82)  

* C/2000 WM1 ( LINEAR )


Fading rapidly. It seems to be fainter than 18 mag in September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  16  6.94   28 34.5   3.249   3.374    88   16.8      9.4 160.7  20:18 ( 83, 65)  
Aug. 24  16  9.01   27 33.8   3.407   3.458    84   17.1      9.7 151.1  20:07 ( 84, 62)  

* 6P/d'Arrest


Appearing at dawn. But it will be fainter than 18 mag in September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17   5 21.62    5 35.3   2.654   2.411    65   17.1     18.9  99.0   3:49 (285, 29)  
Aug. 24   5 29.95    5 12.5   2.623   2.461    69   17.3     17.2 101.8   3:56 (290, 34)  

* C/2002 J5 ( LINEAR )


It is a far object. It will be 17 mag all through in 2003 and 2004.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  19  1.33   14 45.5   5.686   6.391   130   17.3     11.8 266.9  21:18 (  0, 70)  
Aug. 24  18 55.90   14 39.2   5.733   6.370   125   17.3     10.8 263.9  20:45 (  0, 70)  

* C/1997 BA6 ( Spacewatch )


It keeps brightness around 17.5 mag still now.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  21 16.19   16 17.5   7.901   8.787   149   17.6      7.0 267.2  23:32 (  0, 71)  
Aug. 24  21 12.86   16 13.6   7.950   8.832   149   17.7      6.8 263.5  23:01 (  0, 71)  

* C/2002 O7 ( LINEAR )


New comet. It will be 6 mag in the Southern Hemisphere in 2003 autumn. It will be low after this, then it becomes high in the morning sky and brighter than 16 mag in next January.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 17  14 22.65   42 59.1   5.508   5.176    65   17.8     11.3 178.9  20:18 (118, 48)  
Aug. 24  14 23.14   41 40.6   5.494   5.107    62   17.8     11.3 173.2  20:07 (117, 44)  

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