Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2002 Sept. 7: North)

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Updated on September 7, 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 )


It keeps 6 mag until mid September, but lower than 10 deg. 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)  
Sept. 7  10 53.22   35 46.1   0.895   0.498    29    6.2     50.5 139.3   4:09 (227,  3)  
Sept.14  11  8.43   30 43.8   1.095   0.507    27    6.7     52.0 153.6   4:16 (234,  3)  

* C/2002 O4 ( Hoenig )


It was reported around 8.5 mag since late August, fainter than this ephemeris. The perihelion passage is on Oct. 1 and it keeps bright until November. However, it becomes low in September and October. In the Southern Hemishpere, it is not observable until late November. It will be in the same field of view with C/2000 SV74 ( LINEAR ) on Sept. 5.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  13  8.49   57  2.2   0.911   0.913    56    7.4     70.2 198.8  19:45 (140, 31)  
Sept.14  12 53.51   49 52.6   1.015   0.851    49    7.3     59.1 196.4  19:34 (135, 24)  

* 46P/Wirtanen


Brightened very rapidly and reached to 10 mag. It will fade out rapidly after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7   8 37.00   19 49.1   1.673   1.070    37   10.5     61.1  96.1   4:09 (258, 18)  
Sept.14   9  6.46   18 54.2   1.695   1.087    37   11.0     59.0  98.5   4:16 (260, 19)  

* 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)  
Sept. 7  13 49.62   -7 40.8   2.428   1.843    44   12.8     34.2 112.8  19:45 ( 75,  8)  
Sept.14  14  4.82   -9 13.7   2.439   1.811    41   12.7     35.5 112.0  19:34 ( 74,  6)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


Small outburst occured in late August.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  20 35.97  -18 37.8   4.977   5.808   142   13.2      4.4 266.1  21:30 (  0, 36)  
Sept.14  20 34.04  -18 39.0   5.050   5.806   135   13.2      3.4 269.1  21:00 (  0, 36)  

* 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)  
Sept. 7   7  3.71   48 10.4   2.841   2.588    65   13.4     28.6  80.2   4:09 (234, 46)  
Sept.14   7 23.72   48 40.9   2.733   2.541    68   13.2     28.9  81.9   4:16 (234, 48)  

* 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko


Not it is at the peak.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7   7 48.39   23 42.4   1.720   1.314    49   13.3     50.3  95.2   4:09 (261, 30)  
Sept.14   8 13.36   23  3.2   1.719   1.331    50   13.4     48.6  97.4   4:16 (263, 32)  

* 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)  
Sept. 7  10 22.22   12 21.9   3.350   2.371    11   13.5     30.2 112.0   4:09 (250, -7)  
Sept.14  10 35.57   11  1.3   3.312   2.353    14   13.4     30.4 112.6   4:16 (254, -3)  

* 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)  
Sept. 7  15 45.56  -34 16.8   1.983   2.030    78   13.8     22.8  88.3  19:45 ( 37,  8)  
Sept.14  15 59.08  -34 12.0   2.004   1.981    74   13.7     25.1  88.6  19:34 ( 38,  8)  

* C/2001 K5 ( LINEAR )


Strongly condensed.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  16 20.04   18 45.5   5.303   5.191    78   13.8      4.7 103.4  19:45 ( 74, 53)  
Sept.14  16 22.56   18 37.8   5.381   5.189    73   13.8      5.8 100.8  19:34 ( 77, 50)  

* C/2000 SV74 ( LINEAR )


It is as faint as 15 mag by CCD. It will be in the same field of view with C/2002 O4 ( Hoenig ) on Sept. 5.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  13 11.78   58 21.6   4.171   3.733    57   13.8     21.9 148.0  19:45 (142, 32)  
Sept.14  13 21.77   56 14.7   4.198   3.754    57   13.9     21.1 146.6  19:34 (140, 30)  

* C/2002 Q2 ( LINEAR )


New comet. Moving within 1 deg with C/2002 Q3 ( LINEAR ). Although extremely faint observations were reported in MPEC, it seems to be very bright actually, around 14-15 mag. Some reported that it is visually observable around 12 mag. However, it will fade out quickly after late September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  18 24.93   58 18.7   0.793   1.339    95   14.0    120.8 166.6  19:45 (171, 67)  
Sept.14  18 45.49   43 16.7   0.744   1.366   101   13.9    140.3 168.7  19:34 (152, 82)  

* 154P/2002 Q4 ( Brewington )


Recovered as bright as expected. 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)  
Sept. 7  19 58.79  -34 35.9   1.583   2.354   129   14.6     11.7 324.5  20:53 (  0, 20)  
Sept.14  19 55.86  -33 25.3   1.602   2.305   122   14.4     11.1 341.4  20:22 (  0, 22)  

* C/2002 Q3 ( LINEAR )


New comet. Moving within 1 deg with C/2002 Q2 ( LINEAR ). Although extremely faint observations were reported in MPEC, it seems to be very bright actually, around 14-15 mag. Some reported that it is visually observable around 12 mag. However, it will fade out quickly after late September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  18 19.31   58 57.6   0.803   1.337    94   14.5    118.8 165.2  19:45 (170, 66)  
Sept.14  18 41.54   44 11.3   0.751   1.363   100   14.4    138.8 167.9  19:34 (151, 81)  

* 92P/Sanguin


It became a bit brighter than expected, reached to 14 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  21 46.79    4 59.0   0.840   1.815   158   14.5     21.9 170.5  22:41 (  0, 60)  
Sept.14  21 49.03    2 25.2   0.848   1.810   154   14.5     23.0 164.7  22:16 (  0, 57)  

* C/2001 N2 ( LINEAR )


It is fading now, but it will be observable again at 15 mag in 2003 after the conjunction. It was getting diffused these days. It was a bit fainter than this ephemeris in late August, around 15-16 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  15 21.37   -4 45.1   2.927   2.676    65   14.5     16.4 204.3  19:45 ( 62, 27)  
Sept.14  15 18.79   -6 26.1   3.062   2.682    58   14.6     14.6 197.3  19:34 ( 64, 22)  

* 57P/du Toit-Neujmin-Delporte


It brightened rapidly and reached to 14 mag. Total 20 nuclei have been discovered. It bursted out and became 5 mag brighter than this ephemeris in the previous return in 1996. But it will be fading after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  20  9.12  -16  3.1   0.890   1.764   136   14.6     11.8  96.9  21:04 (  0, 39)  
Sept.14  20 15.53  -16  9.8   0.945   1.778   131   14.9     14.6  92.0  20:43 (  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)  
Sept. 7   9 56.06   -1 22.9   5.054   4.108    18   14.8      4.9 121.7   4:09 (265,-10)  
Sept.14   9 57.96   -1 42.0   4.969   4.061    22   14.7      4.8 126.2   4:16 (270, -3)  

* 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. It must be bright already, but not yet recovered.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7   6  9.78   20  8.1   2.179   2.098    71   15.0     32.0  88.5   4:09 (279, 49)  
Sept.14   6 25.72   20 11.3   2.080   2.062    74   14.8     32.1  89.7   4:16 (282, 52)  

* 7P/Pons-Winnecke


It became bright after the perihelion passage, however it is already too faint to see visually. It keeps very low at 10 deg high in the Northern Hemisphere, while it will fade out.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7   0 13.14  -46 49.4   0.948   1.817   136   15.1     13.5 265.3   1:11 (  0,  8)  
Sept.14   0  4.02  -46 42.1   1.009   1.869   136   15.5     13.5 283.2   0:34 (  0,  8)  

* 65P/Gunn


After conjunction, it will appear at dawn at 14 mag in January.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  12 48.21    1 21.5   3.711   2.850    27   15.1     23.8 117.4  19:45 ( 91,  0)  
Sept.14  12 58.21    0  4.6   3.728   2.831    23   15.1     24.3 116.9  19:34 ( 91, -2)  

* 153P/2002 C1 ( Ikeya-Zhang )


Extremely diffused and hard to observe.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  16  3.58  -14 20.6   3.001   2.954    77   15.5     15.8 119.1  19:45 ( 46, 27)  
Sept.14  16 10.37  -15 12.0   3.187   3.042    72   16.0     15.9 116.2  19:34 ( 48, 25)  

* C/2002 Q5 ( LINEAR )


New comet. Although it will keep the current magnitude for a while, it will not be observable in November.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  18 48.39   29 55.0   1.024   1.659   109   15.7    104.7 235.7  19:45 ( 12, 84)  
Sept.14  18  8.77   22 57.6   1.101   1.594    98   15.7     87.7 228.8  19:34 ( 51, 72)  

* 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)  
Sept. 7   3  1.33  -33 39.7   6.602   7.136   118   16.1      9.1 198.4   3:58 (  0, 21)  
Sept.14   2 59.41  -34 40.2   6.494   7.077   121   16.1      9.5 204.3   3:29 (  0, 20)  

* C/2002 Q1 ( Van Ness )


New comet. It will fade out gradually after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7   4 44.25   -8  6.5   1.348   1.755    95   16.1     40.8 134.4   4:09 (329, 42)  
Sept.14   4 57.18  -11 27.2   1.344   1.787    97   16.2     38.3 138.5   4:16 (337, 41)  

* 30P/Reinmuth 1


It will be observable in good condition at 14 mag in winter.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7   7 21.55   18 18.3   2.513   2.102    54   16.8     32.3  95.2   4:09 (270, 33)  
Sept.14   7 37.37   17 55.0   2.427   2.076    57   16.7     32.5  96.4   4:16 (273, 36)  

* C/2000 CT54 ( LINEAR )


Fading slowly.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7   1 22.77   -1 21.7   4.300   5.154   144   16.8      8.6 275.6   2:20 (  0, 54)  
Sept.14   1 18.54   -1 16.2   4.291   5.201   152   16.8      9.5 274.5   1:48 (  0, 54)  

* P/2002 O5 ( NEAT )


It will go far away from the earth 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)  
Sept. 7  18 28.92   18 40.7   0.485   1.248   108   16.9     51.4  72.3  19:45 ( 17, 73)  
Sept.14  18 52.71   20  9.9   0.530   1.279   108   17.2     48.3  77.7  19:34 ( 12, 75)  

* C/2002 K4 ( NEAT )


It will be fainter than 18 mag in November.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  18 27.09   27 11.4   2.368   2.815   105   17.1     16.6 267.2  19:45 ( 35, 81)  
Sept.14  18 19.44   27  2.8   2.474   2.828   100   17.2     12.7 263.1  19:34 ( 56, 77)  

* 89P/Russell 2


It was brighter than expected. But it is already fading and will be fainter than 18 mag in late October.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  23 30.53  -21 25.6   1.591   2.573   163   17.2     11.8 263.7   0:28 (  0, 34)  
Sept.14  23 24.66  -21 30.1   1.619   2.594   162   17.3     11.6 270.1  23:50 (  0, 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)  
Sept. 7  18 46.67   14 17.5   5.857   6.327   113   17.4      8.6 257.4  19:45 (  3, 69)  
Sept.14  18 42.97   14  3.6   5.931   6.307   107   17.4      7.3 253.7  19:34 ( 16, 68)  

* C/2002 C2 ( LINEAR )


It locates high until October at 17.5 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7   5  6.34    9 30.6   3.439   3.547    87   17.6     16.3 185.1   4:09 (308, 54)  
Sept.14   5  5.15    7 32.8   3.344   3.574    94   17.6     17.8 191.7   4:16 (322, 57)  

* C/2001 U6 ( LINEAR )


It locates high until December at 17.5 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Sept. 7  18 53.39   77 17.5   4.299   4.413    89   17.6     21.2 191.3  19:47 (180, 48)  
Sept.14  18 47.35   74 48.2   4.270   4.416    91   17.6     21.9 185.6  19:34 (178, 50)  

* 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)  
Sept. 7  21  6.71   15 57.5   8.087   8.921   143   17.7      6.1 255.9  22:00 (  0, 71)  
Sept.14  21  4.00   15 46.2   8.175   8.966   139   17.8      5.6 251.8  21:30 (  0, 71)  

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