Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2002 Oct. 26: South)

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 Updated on October 25, 2002
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Southern Hemisphere.

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* 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)  
Oct. 26   9 29.43   49 36.5   2.142   2.291    85   11.8     28.8  92.3   3:34 (212, -7)  
Nov.  2   9 49.91   49 24.7   2.055   2.256    88   11.6     28.2  93.9   3:24 (213, -8)

* 22P/Kopff
It will appear at dawn in next June at 15.5 mag, then it will be fading. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  15 51.73  -17 52.7   2.471   1.652    27   11.8     42.3 104.4  19:54 ( 72,  6)  
Nov.  2  16 12.16  -19  2.2   2.475   1.634    25   11.7     43.1 102.7  20:03 ( 69,  4)

* C/2002 Q5 ( LINEAR )
New comet. It brightened rapidly and reached to 13 mag. But it will not be observable in November. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  16 42.46   -2 28.0   1.867   1.297    41   12.7     23.4 208.5  19:54 ( 92,  7)  
Nov.  2  16 37.80   -4 42.6   1.974   1.270    33   12.5     20.1 206.2  20:03 ( 84,  0)

* 116P/Wild 4
Appearing at dawn. It is expected to be bright as 10-11 mag for a long time from winter to spring. But it was much fainter than this ephemeris, 15.5 mag in mid October. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  11 55.53    2 16.9   3.007   2.257    34   12.7     31.3 114.5   3:34 (269, -2)  
Nov.  2  12  8.82    0 46.1   2.946   2.244    37   12.6     31.3 114.5   3:24 (269, -1)

* 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
It brightened about 1 mag after perihelion passage and reached to 12 mag. But now it is already getting fainter. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  10 17.69   16 43.1   1.706   1.523    62   13.0     36.1 105.7   3:34 (243,  8)  
Nov.  2  10 33.98   15 35.5   1.697   1.566    65   13.1     33.7 106.2   3:24 (243,  9)

* 28P/Neujmin 1
It was much fainter than this ephemeris, 17.4 mag on July 31 by Akimasa Nakamura. No further observations were reported, so the current brightness is uncertain. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  17 44.93  -32 37.6   2.090   1.724    54   13.4     37.5  82.2  19:54 ( 72, 36)  
Nov.  2  18  5.88  -31 56.0   2.101   1.689    52   13.3     39.3  80.4  20:03 ( 71, 32)

* 46P/Wirtanen
It bursted out on Sept. 24 and reached to 8.5 mag. It is now fading rapidly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  11 32.13   10 34.3   1.853   1.321    43   13.4     43.9 106.5   3:34 (259, -2)  
Nov.  2  11 51.47    9  8.3   1.875   1.374    45   14.6     41.4 106.8   3:24 (260, -2)

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1
It seems to keep 12 mag recently. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  20 34.06  -18  8.4   5.643   5.797    93   13.5      3.8  66.2  19:54 (121, 62)  
Nov.  2  20 36.01  -17 56.8   5.755   5.795    87   13.5      4.8  68.4  20:03 (111, 56)

* C/2001 HT50 ( LINEAR-NEAT )
It will be observable in good condition at 11-12 mag in early 2003 and 2003 autumn. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  10  2.99   -4  1.6   4.194   3.784    59   14.0      3.8 201.8   3:34 (257, 24)  
Nov.  2  10  1.95   -4 26.3   4.030   3.740    66   13.8      4.7 221.5   3:24 (255, 28)

* C/2001 K5 ( LINEAR )
Strongly condensed. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  16 47.58   18 17.3   5.749   5.185    51   14.0     10.9  87.3  19:54 (110, -4)  
Nov.  2  16 53.07   18 22.4   5.788   5.187    48   14.0     11.5  85.1  20:03 (106,-10)

* C/2000 SV74 ( LINEAR )
It is as faint as 15 mag by CCD. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  14 12.84   46  6.2   4.322   3.895    58   14.1     15.7 134.9  19:54 (123,-44)  
Nov.  2  14 20.15   44 52.7   4.331   3.922    59   14.1     14.7 132.3   3:24 (239,-46)

* C/2002 O4 ( Hoenig )
It is fading and being diffused very rapidly since mid September. It was reported fainter than 10 mag in late September. It may disappear soon. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  12 19.26   17  4.0   1.434   0.904    38   14.4     43.1 185.9   3:34 (260,-16)  
Nov.  2  12 17.29   12  6.8   1.455   0.977    41   15.1     42.2 185.2   3:24 (261, -9)

* 92P/Sanguin
It became brighter than expected, reached to 13 mag. But it has already begun to be fading. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  22 29.36   -9 31.5   1.097   1.840   123   14.8     23.3 112.9  20:11 (180, 65)  
Nov.  2  22 39.95  -10 24.8   1.166   1.854   118   15.1     23.9 105.0  20:03 (175, 65)

* 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)  
Oct. 26  14  3.02   -7 31.9   3.710   2.721     4   14.9     26.5 113.4  19:54 ( 64,-21)  
Nov.  2  14 14.57   -8 44.7   3.686   2.703     6   14.8     26.7 112.7   3:24 (297,-20)

* C/2001 N2 ( LINEAR )
It will appear at dawn at 15 mag in January. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  15 19.50  -14 43.2   3.679   2.761    19   15.1     10.8 163.1  19:54 ( 70, -2)  
Nov.  2  15 21.13  -15 54.5   3.739   2.780    12   15.2     10.7 160.4  20:03 ( 64, -8)

* 2002 RP120
New asteroid with a cometary orbit. It is at the peak now. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26   2 19.92   21 24.4   1.498   2.483   169   15.6     64.5 279.9   0:06 (180, 34)  
Nov.  2   1 47.96   22 25.8   1.511   2.490   167   15.7     63.1 276.3  22:58 (180, 32)

* 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)  
Oct. 26   9 10.40   14 13.8   1.923   1.950    76   15.8     31.7 101.5   3:34 (233, 22)  
Nov.  2   9 25.18   13 29.2   1.842   1.934    79   15.6     31.1 101.8   3:24 (233, 23)

* 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)  
Oct. 26   2 35.96  -39 54.4   6.069   6.716   127   15.7     10.2 238.1   0:20 (  0, 85)  
Nov.  2   2 30.59  -40 28.5   6.037   6.655   124   15.6      9.9 244.0  23:43 (  0, 84)

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )
Appearing at dawn. It keeps 16 mag until 2003 June. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  12 49.17   37 14.6   6.204   5.651    52   16.1     11.3 116.0   3:34 (244,-31)  
Nov.  2  12 55.01   36 42.1   6.176   5.677    55   16.1     10.7 113.7   3:24 (243,-28)

* C/2002 Q2 ( LINEAR )
New comet. Moving within 1 deg with C/2002 Q3 ( LINEAR ). It was 14 mag in September, however, it was extremely diffused and hard to observe. No observations were reported in October. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  19 57.63  -20 56.2   1.410   1.652    84   16.1     42.6 151.0  19:54 (106, 57)  
Nov.  2  20  7.94  -24 43.8   1.590   1.714    79   16.5     34.7 144.7  20:03 ( 95, 54)

* 154P/2002 Q4 ( Brewington )
Although it was expected to be 10 mag in winter, it does not brighten at all. It will be 15 mag at best. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  20 15.69  -24 52.3   1.797   2.026    88   16.3     20.4  48.6  19:54 (104, 63)  
Nov.  2  20 24.18  -23 16.0   1.834   1.983    83   16.3     22.7  52.0  20:03 (101, 56)

* C/2002 E2 ( Snyder-Murakami )
It keeps 16 mag since August unexpectedly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  15 56.07   72 22.9   3.358   3.448    86   16.3     16.0  79.2  19:54 (159,-34)  
Nov.  2  16 21.44   72 43.6   3.387   3.518    89   16.4     17.1  79.5  20:03 (159,-35)

* P/2002 T1 ( LINEAR )
New periodic comet. Now it is passing near by the earth. It will fade out rapidly after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26   1 16.38   43 52.4   0.253   1.214   147   16.4     69.1 349.5  22:56 (180, 10)  
Nov.  2   1  9.30   50 21.8   0.293   1.234   140   16.7     45.2 350.1  22:22 (180,  4)

* 155P/2002 R2 ( Shoemaker 3 )
Recovered 3 mag fainter than expected. Although it will be at the peak in 2003 January and be observable in good condition, it may reach to 15 mag at best. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26   7 59.80   19  5.6   1.539   1.892    94   16.6     30.7  95.0   3:34 (215, 28)  
Nov.  2   8 14.70   18 46.3   1.461   1.872    97   16.4     29.8  95.3   3:24 (214, 28)

* C/2002 R3 ( LONEOS )
New comet. It will be observable at 16-17 mag until the end of 2003. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26   3 20.41   21  0.2   3.411   4.354   159   16.9     26.8 263.7   1:05 (180, 34)  
Nov.  2   3  6.72   20 35.9   3.349   4.327   168   16.8     28.4 262.1   0:24 (180, 34)

* 90P/Gehrels 1
It became 17 mag, brighter than expected. It keeps 17 mag in the high position until December. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26   5 36.85   33 45.4   2.398   3.095   126   17.1      4.2   0.8   3:21 (180, 21)  
Nov.  2   5 36.24   34 13.9   2.343   3.109   133   17.1      4.5 330.6   2:53 (180, 21)

* 57P/du Toit-Neujmin-Delporte
It brightened rapidly and reached to 14 mag. Now it is fading rapidly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  21 15.87  -14 23.2   1.389   1.901   104   17.2     25.6  77.7  19:54 (145, 66)  
Nov.  2  21 28.09  -13 41.8   1.479   1.927   100   17.6     26.5  76.2  20:03 (135, 62)

* C/2000 CT54 ( LINEAR )
Fading slowly. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26   0 50.04   -0 35.5   4.548   5.483   158   17.2      9.3 279.6  22:30 (180, 56)  
Nov.  2   0 45.95   -0 23.5   4.644   5.531   150   17.3      8.5 282.6  21:59 (180, 55)

* C/2002 A3 ( LINEAR )
Appearing at dawn. It keeps 17 mag until next April. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26   9 24.42    8 29.6   5.565   5.337    71   17.3      8.0  80.9   3:34 (240, 23)  
Nov.  2   9 27.94    8 39.8   5.471   5.351    77   17.3      7.2  76.7   3:24 (237, 26)

* P/2002 T5 ( LINEAR )
New periodic comet. It is observable at 17.5 mag in this winter and next winter. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26   4 41.31  -13 44.2   3.435   4.171   132   17.4      5.7 230.9   2:25 (180, 69)  
Nov.  2   4 38.85  -14  6.7   3.380   4.158   136   17.3      6.4 244.1   1:55 (180, 69)

* 81P/Wild 2
It will be observable until next spring when it becomes 13 mag in the evening sky. However, it is not observable around the perihelion passage. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26   4 53.48   18 21.6   2.385   3.194   138   17.7      5.4 253.5   2:37 (180, 37)  
Nov.  2   4 50.32   18 10.0   2.287   3.157   145   17.5      7.8 257.0   2:07 (180, 37)

* C/2002 C2 ( LINEAR )
It will be fainter than 18 mag in December. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26   4 35.09   -6 26.8   2.959   3.751   137   17.5     27.3 219.8   2:19 (180, 61)  
Nov.  2   4 26.50   -8 49.9   2.948   3.783   142   17.5     27.7 223.3   1:43 (180, 64)

* 118P/Sheomaker-Levy 4
It will be 17 mag in the evening sky until 2003 spring, then it will be in conjunction with the sun. After the perihelion passage, it will appear at dawn at 15.5 mag, then it will fade out. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26  23 55.60   -8 23.8   1.917   2.774   142   17.6      8.1 241.8  21:36 (180, 63)  
Nov.  2  23 52.75   -8 45.7   1.951   2.744   135   17.5      5.5 243.6  21:06 (180, 64)

* C/2001 B2 ( NEAT )
Appearing at dawn. It is getting fainter gradually. It keeps brighter than 18 mag until March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Oct. 26   9 41.05   20 20.7   7.999   7.744    71   17.6      2.4   2.2   3:34 (234, 12)  
Nov.  2   9 40.89   20 38.7   7.910   7.778    78   17.6      2.9 345.2   3:24 (231, 15)

* 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)  
Oct. 26  19  1.94   58 56.7   4.286   4.453    93   17.6     22.8 164.1  19:54 (157,-12)  
Nov.  2  19  7.77   56 26.2   4.323   4.461    91   17.7     22.3 161.2  20:03 (152,-13)

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