Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2003 Apr. 5: North)

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 Updated on April 6, 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)  
Apr.  5   0 10.79   31  4.0   1.462   0.733    27    5.5     50.6 147.7   4:16 (236,  6)  
Apr. 12   0 24.45   26  6.7   1.536   0.714    22    5.4     48.9 149.4   4:05 (240,  4)

* 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)  
Apr.  5   2 38.40  -21 34.2   1.959   1.314    37    9.5     41.6  71.6  19:50 ( 73,-13)  
Apr. 12   2 56.73  -20  8.2   2.120   1.453    37   10.0     36.1  71.7  19:57 ( 76,-15)

* C/2001 RX14 ( LINEAR )
It turns to fade after this, and will be fainter than 13 mag in June. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr.  5  11  4.11   27 27.7   1.409   2.249   137   11.1     24.7 197.2  22:10 (  0, 82)  
Apr. 12  11  1.11   24 42.8   1.483   2.284   132   11.3     23.8 190.3  21:39 (  0, 79)

* C/2001 HT50 ( LINEAR-NEAT )
It will be observable in good condition at 11-12 mag in 2003 autumn again. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr.  5   5 43.46    9 12.7   3.115   2.957    71   12.0     12.1 308.2  19:50 ( 69, 42)  
Apr. 12   5 39.57   10  2.7   3.232   2.934    63   12.1      9.7 314.4  19:57 ( 77, 35)

* 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)  
Apr.  5  18 33.65  -24 21.6   2.124   2.457    97   13.1     16.3 101.1   4:16 (338, 27)  
Apr. 12  18 41.37  -24 44.3   2.036   2.453   102   13.0     14.5 103.5   4:05 (340, 28)

* 154P/2002 Q4 ( Brewington )
It passed the perihelion on Feb. 19 and expected to be fading now. But it may be brighter after this. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr.  5   2 21.41   26 27.8   2.465   1.666    29   13.0     44.7  68.6  19:50 (115, 11)  
Apr. 12   2 43.32   28 15.4   2.510   1.690    27   13.4     44.1  70.6  19:57 (118, 10)

* 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)  
Apr.  5  15 43.58  -21 43.0   1.400   2.232   136   13.5      2.6 197.3   2:53 (  0, 33)  
Apr. 12  15 42.42  -21 57.8   1.359   2.244   143   13.5      4.2 245.1   2:24 (  0, 33)

* 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)  
Apr.  5  23 43.97   -4  8.7   2.840   1.932    20   13.6     35.1  68.7   4:16 (268,-10)  
Apr. 12  23 59.03   -2 40.6   2.852   1.969    23   13.8     34.0  68.6   4:05 (267, -9)

* 30P/Reinmuth 1
It became brighter than expected after the perihelion passage, and it was observed visually around 13 mag in March. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr.  5  11 13.65   18 15.9   1.174   2.077   145   13.6      1.6 244.6  22:20 (  0, 73)  
Apr. 12  11 13.57   18  4.6   1.240   2.103   139   13.8      2.8 156.7  21:52 (  0, 73)

* 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)  
Apr.  5  22 20.76   -7 59.5   6.486   5.765    40   13.8     10.9  64.5   4:16 (283,  5)  
Apr. 12  22 25.26   -7 27.2   6.410   5.764    46   13.7     10.3  63.9   4:05 (285,  7)

* 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)  
Apr.  5   5 26.42   -7 50.7   1.688   1.628    69   13.9     45.4  53.5  19:50 ( 57, 27)  
Apr. 12   5 42.34   -5  2.2   1.885   1.751    66   14.9     38.2  56.0  19:57 ( 63, 26)

* 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)  
Apr.  5  19  2.14   39 41.2   5.347   5.350    84   14.1     15.1  17.7   4:16 (250, 67)  
Apr. 12  19  4.60   41 22.0   5.316   5.363    87   14.2     14.8  13.4   4:05 (245, 69)

* 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)  
Apr.  5  15  1.81   41  2.2   2.065   2.761   124   14.4     30.5 293.3   2:12 (180, 84)  
Apr. 12  14 42.64   42 16.6   1.963   2.677   125   14.2     34.4 285.5   1:25 (180, 83)

* 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)  
Apr.  5   2 17.12  -32 55.2   5.930   5.249    43   14.6      9.3  71.6  19:50 ( 65,-23)  
Apr. 12   2 22.16  -32 36.6   5.860   5.181    43   14.5      9.6  75.8  19:57 ( 68,-28)

* 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)  
Apr.  5  16 13.95  -12 12.7   2.091   2.843   130   14.7      3.8  44.2   3:23 (  0, 43)  
Apr. 12  16 14.69  -11 52.3   1.999   2.815   136   14.6      3.1   7.7   2:56 (  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)  
Apr.  5   4 51.48   20 41.2   2.612   2.270    59   14.9     22.8  80.3  19:50 ( 90, 38)  
Apr. 12   5  3.10   21  6.9   2.645   2.229    55   14.9     24.3  81.6  19:57 ( 94, 33)

* 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)  
Apr.  5  18 34.29  -35 54.2   3.723   3.978    97   15.4     12.6 144.6   4:16 (342, 16)  
Apr. 12  18 38.17  -37  8.6   3.599   3.954   103   15.3     12.5 151.3   4:05 (345, 16)

* 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)  
Apr.  5   5 46.38   24 55.7   2.841   2.707    72   15.3     12.4 242.9  19:50 ( 88, 51)  
Apr. 12   5 41.52   24 17.8   2.959   2.678    64   15.3      9.6 237.1  19:57 ( 92, 42)

* 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)  
Apr.  5  14 13.72   44 35.0   3.995   4.660   126   15.4     15.1 263.2   1:23 (180, 80)  
Apr. 12  14  3.90   44 16.2   4.035   4.699   126   15.4     15.4 256.8   0:46 (180, 81)

* 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)  
Apr.  5   4 26.32   27  2.8   5.787   5.271    54   15.5      2.9  84.4  19:50 (101, 35)  
Apr. 12   4 28.05   27  5.5   5.816   5.201    48   15.5      3.8  82.7  19:57 (104, 29)

* 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)  
Apr.  5  13  1.00   37 55.9   5.565   6.325   136   16.0      8.2 256.2   0:11 (180, 87)  
Apr. 12  12 56.36   37 38.9   5.624   6.357   133   16.1      8.2 249.5  23:34 (180, 87)

* 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)  
Apr.  5  10 19.19  -22 45.2   1.473   2.323   138   16.3     55.6 300.8  21:23 (  0, 32)  
Apr. 12   9 58.46  -19 36.2   1.628   2.399   130   17.0     43.5 305.2  20:36 (  0, 36)

* 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)  
Apr.  5  19  6.27   26 46.4   5.858   5.851    84   17.0     12.5 343.6   4:16 (280, 63)  
Apr. 12  19  4.05   28 11.1   5.763   5.841    89   17.0     13.2 338.1   4:05 (281, 68)

* 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)  
Apr.  5  10 59.98   16 14.1   1.803   2.678   144   17.0      8.1 262.7  22:06 (  0, 71)  
Apr. 12  10 56.74   16  2.8   1.908   2.727   136   17.2      5.8 247.9  21:35 (  0, 71)

* C/2003 F1 ( LINEAR )
New comet. It will keep 17.5 mag until summer. 
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Apr.  5  17 20.51   52 18.7   3.779   4.062    99   17.5      5.6 316.1   4:16 (187, 73)  
Apr. 12  17 16.87   52 44.0   3.742   4.054   100   17.4      6.5 299.6   3:58 (180, 72)

* 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)  
Apr.  5   9  9.03   22 58.4   5.235   5.772   117   17.5      3.8   1.1  20:15 (  0, 78)  
Apr. 12   9  9.35   23 22.8   5.360   5.795   111   17.6      3.4  20.4  19:57 ( 10, 78)

* 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)  
Apr.  5  15 37.88   -0 33.8   0.995   1.868   138   17.6     54.6 235.0   2:48 (  0, 55)  
Apr. 12  15 16.42   -4 15.2   1.012   1.949   150   17.9     56.4 235.8   1:59 (  0, 51)

* 155P/2002 R2 ( Shoemaker 3 )
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)  
Apr.  5   9 52.90   22 30.2   1.407   2.165   127   17.8     10.7 122.3  20:59 (  0, 77)  
Apr. 12   9 57.94   21 46.8   1.504   2.205   121   18.2     12.8 121.1  20:37 (  0, 77)

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