Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2003 Mar. 29: North)

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Updated on March 29, 2003
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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 Y1 ( Juels-Holvorcem )


In the Northern Hemisphere, it will not be observable soon. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is not observable until May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  23 54.60   36  8.0   1.370   0.777    33    5.7     54.1 144.5   4:27 (232,  9)  
Apr.  5   0 10.79   31  4.0   1.462   0.733    27    5.5     50.6 147.7   4:16 (236,  6)  

* C/2002 V1 ( NEAT )


Only observable in the Southern Hemisphere. No observations have been reported since Mar. 8 when it was 5.3 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29   2 16.76  -23 12.7   1.794   1.167    37    8.8     49.0  72.5  19:43 ( 70,-11)  
Apr.  5   2 38.40  -21 34.2   1.959   1.314    37    9.5     41.6  71.6  19:50 ( 73,-13)  

* C/2001 RX14 ( LINEAR )


It keeps 11 mag and the good condition until April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  11  8.80   30 12.1   1.347   2.217   141   10.9     25.4 203.8  22:42 (  0, 85)  
Apr.  5  11  4.11   27 27.7   1.409   2.249   137   11.1     24.7 197.2  22:10 (  0, 82)  

* 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)  
Mar. 29   5 48.66    8 17.7   2.994   2.981    79   12.0     15.0 303.3  19:43 ( 59, 48)  
Apr.  5   5 43.46    9 12.7   3.115   2.957    71   12.0     12.1 308.2  19:50 ( 69, 42)  

* 154P/2002 Q4 ( Brewington )


It kept brightening rapidly since November and reached to 12 mag. Now it is passing the perihelion, but it may be brighter after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29   1 59.89   24 29.1   2.423   1.645    30   12.7     45.2  66.8  19:43 (112, 12)  
Apr.  5   2 21.41   26 27.8   2.465   1.666    29   13.0     44.7  68.6  19:50 (115, 11)  

* C/2002 X5 ( Kudo-Fujikawa )


Although it had been fading slowly until early March, it got diffused and faded rapidly after that. It is already very hard to catch even with CCD.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29   5  7.62  -11 23.9   1.496   1.500    70   12.8     55.3  51.8  19:43 ( 51, 27)  
Apr.  5   5 26.42   -7 50.7   1.688   1.628    69   13.9     45.4  53.5  19:50 ( 57, 27)  

* 65P/Gunn


It is observable at 12.5 mag for long time from April to August.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  18 25.06  -24  0.3   2.213   2.461    92   13.2     17.8  99.7   4:27 (336, 27)  
Apr.  5  18 33.65  -24 21.6   2.124   2.457    97   13.1     16.3 101.1   4:16 (338, 27)  

* 22P/Kopff


Not observable. It will appear at dawn in 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)  
Mar. 29  23 28.40   -5 39.2   2.825   1.896    17   13.4     36.2  68.9   4:27 (269,-11)  
Apr.  5  23 43.97   -4  8.7   2.840   1.932    20   13.6     35.1  68.7   4:16 (268,-10)  

* 30P/Reinmuth 1


It became brighter than expected after the perihelion passage. Not it is observed around 13 mag visually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  11 14.92   18 13.5   1.117   2.052   151   13.4      4.0 290.4  22:48 (  0, 73)  
Apr.  5  11 13.65   18 15.9   1.174   2.077   145   13.6      1.6 244.6  22:20 (  0, 73)  

* 116P/Wild 4


It was observed visually at around 13 mag these days.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  15 43.17  -21 23.5   1.449   2.221   129   13.6      3.9 142.0   3:20 (  0, 34)  
Apr.  5  15 43.58  -21 43.0   1.400   2.232   136   13.5      2.6 197.3   2:53 (  0, 33)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


Appearing very low sky in the morning. It will be higher than 20 deg in May.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  22 16.04   -8 32.5   6.554   5.766    35   13.8     11.3  65.1   4:27 (282,  2)  
Apr.  5  22 20.76   -7 59.5   6.486   5.765    40   13.8     10.9  64.5   4:16 (283,  5)  

* C/2001 K5 ( LINEAR )


It is observable in good condition at 14-15 mag until autumn.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  18 59.05   38  0.8   5.381   5.337    82   14.1     15.4  21.8   4:27 (254, 64)  
Apr.  5  19  2.14   39 41.2   5.347   5.350    84   14.1     15.1  17.7   4:16 (250, 67)  

* C/2002 O7 ( LINEAR )


Getting brighter more slowly than expected, and it is still 15 mag. It may become only 10 mag in autumn at best. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will observable only until July, when it may be still 12 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  15 17.36   39 32.1   2.182   2.845   122   14.6     26.5 300.9   2:55 (180, 86)  
Apr.  5  15  1.81   41  2.2   2.065   2.761   124   14.4     30.5 293.3   2:12 (180, 84)  

* C/2001 Q4 ( NEAT )


It will reach to 1 mag in 2004 spring. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is not observable until that time.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29   2 12.38  -33 17.6   5.990   5.316    43   14.6      8.9  67.2  19:43 ( 61,-18)  
Apr.  5   2 17.12  -32 55.2   5.930   5.249    43   14.6      9.3  71.6  19:50 ( 65,-23)  

* 53P/Van Biesbroeck


It will be 14 mag from spring to summer.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  16 12.15  -12 30.6   2.191   2.871   124   14.9      5.4  64.4   3:49 (  0, 42)  
Apr.  5  16 13.95  -12 12.7   2.091   2.843   130   14.7      3.8  44.2   3:23 (  0, 43)  

* 81P/Wild 2


It had brightened very rapidly since September and reached to 15 mag in late November. On the contrary, it has been at 15.5 mag for four months after that. It is only observable until late May. 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)  
Mar. 29   4 40.70   20 13.5   2.575   2.311    63   15.0     21.2  78.9  19:43 ( 86, 42)  
Apr.  5   4 51.48   20 41.2   2.612   2.270    59   14.9     22.8  80.3  19:50 ( 90, 38)  

* C/2002 X1 ( LINEAR )


It will keep 14-15 mag until the end of 2003.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29   5 52.95   25 36.7   2.718   2.737    80   15.2     15.8 247.5  19:43 ( 82, 59)  
Apr.  5   5 46.38   24 55.7   2.841   2.707    72   15.3     12.4 242.9  19:50 ( 88, 51)  

* C/2000 SV74 ( LINEAR )


It became a bit fainter after the perihelion passage.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  14 23.39   44 41.9   3.966   4.621   125   15.3     14.5 269.5   2:01 (180, 80)  
Apr.  5  14 13.72   44 35.0   3.995   4.660   126   15.4     15.1 263.2   1:23 (180, 80)  

* C/2002 J4 ( NEAT )


It will be observable at 14.5 mag for a long time from spring to autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, it locates very low in the morning until spring.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  18 29.75  -34 44.6   3.850   4.004    91   15.5     12.9 138.5   4:27 (339, 17)  
Apr.  5  18 34.29  -35 54.2   3.723   3.978    97   15.4     12.6 144.6   4:16 (342, 16)  

* C/2002 T7 ( LINEAR )


It is expected to be 1 mag in the southern sky in 2004 spring.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29   4 25.07   27  1.6   5.750   5.341    61   15.6      1.9  88.2  19:43 ( 97, 42)  
Apr.  5   4 26.32   27  2.8   5.787   5.271    54   15.5      2.9  84.4  19:50 (101, 35)  

* C/2002 Q5 ( LINEAR )


It has been observed as bright as 12.5 mag from January to mid February. However, it seems to start fading rapidly in March.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  10 47.12  -26 12.0   1.346   2.246   146   15.7     68.3 295.7  22:18 (  0, 29)  
Apr.  5  10 19.19  -22 45.2   1.473   2.323   138   16.3     55.6 300.8  21:23 (  0, 32)  

* C/1999 U4 ( Catalina-Skiff )


It keeps 16 mag until June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  13  5.73   38  6.3   5.516   6.293   137   16.0      8.1 262.8   0:43 (180, 87)  
Apr.  5  13  1.00   37 55.9   5.565   6.325   136   16.0      8.2 256.2   0:11 (180, 87)  

* 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko


It will be fainter than 18 mag in May. Very diffused.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  11  4.54   16 16.9   1.708   2.629   151   16.8     10.7 271.3  22:38 (  0, 71)  
Apr.  5  10 59.98   16 14.1   1.803   2.678   144   17.0      8.1 262.7  22:06 (  0, 71)  

* C/2002 J5 ( LINEAR )


As it is a very far object, it keeps 17 mag until 2004 summer.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  19  7.75   25 23.8   5.954   5.862    79   17.1     11.8 349.3   4:27 (279, 59)  
Apr.  5  19  6.27   26 46.4   5.858   5.851    84   17.0     12.5 343.6   4:16 (280, 63)  

* C/2002 U2 ( LINEAR )


It is fading rapidly after the perihelion passage.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  15 57.79    2 59.5   0.998   1.790   127   17.4     49.8 233.8   3:35 (  0, 58)  
Apr.  5  15 37.88   -0 33.8   0.995   1.868   138   17.6     54.6 235.0   2:48 (  0, 55)  

* 155P/2002 R2 ( Shoemaker 3 )


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. 29   9 48.84   23  6.7   1.317   2.127   133   17.4      8.4 124.0  21:23 (  0, 78)  
Apr.  5   9 52.90   22 30.2   1.407   2.165   127   17.8     10.7 122.3  20:59 (  0, 77)  

* C/2002 A3 ( LINEAR )


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. 29   9  9.28   22 29.8   5.118   5.749   125   17.4      4.5 346.5  20:43 (  0, 78)  
Apr.  5   9  9.03   22 58.4   5.235   5.772   117   17.5      3.8   1.1  20:15 (  0, 78)  

* C/2001 B2 ( NEAT )


It is getting fainter gradually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29   8 22.41   30  7.3   8.086   8.519   112   17.9      5.2 284.0  19:56 (  0, 85)  
Apr.  5   8 19.93   30 15.0   8.237   8.555   105   18.0      4.2 283.0  19:50 ( 48, 83)  

* P/2003 CP7 ( LINEAR-NEAT )


New comet. It will be fainter than 18 mag soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Mar. 29  11  0.11   17 36.2   2.117   3.022   149   17.9      7.6 303.0  22:33 (  0, 73)  
Apr.  5  10 57.36   18  0.7   2.164   3.020   142   18.0      5.6 300.9  22:03 (  0, 73)  

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