Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2003 Aug. 2: North)

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Updated on August 3, 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 )


It locates in good condition in the Southern Hemisphere, although it will never be observable again in the Northern Hemisphere. It had been fading slowly, however, it suddenly began to fade out faster in July
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2   4 21.19  -60  8.8   1.710   2.055    94   10.9     47.5 153.6   3:32 (332,-18)  
Aug.  9   4 41.82  -64 51.6   1.800   2.150    95   11.2     42.9 153.5   3:40 (337,-20)  

* C/2002 O7 ( LINEAR )


Getting brighter slowly. It will be 10 mag in autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is not observable until December when it appears in the evening sky at 11-12 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  10 55.88    2 12.8   1.961   1.276    35   11.8     30.3 185.0  20:39 ( 95, -4)  
Aug.  9  10 54.83   -1 20.6   1.955   1.197    30   11.5     30.9 183.7  20:30 ( 95,-10)  

* C/2001 HT50 ( LINEAR-NEAT )


Appearing at dawn. It will be observable in good condition at 11-12 mag in autumn.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2   5 40.72   16 51.0   3.438   2.803    44   12.0      2.6 315.1   3:32 (260, 16)  
Aug.  9   5 39.44   17  3.7   3.332   2.810    51   11.9      3.9 297.2   3:40 (265, 23)  

* C/2001 Q4 ( NEAT )


It will reach to 1 mag in 2004 spring. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is not observable until that time. It is getting brighter as expected until late July.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2   4  4.07  -41 48.1   3.954   4.053    88   12.6     18.1 145.6   3:32 (321, -3)  
Aug.  9   4 10.39  -43 38.2   3.827   3.979    91   12.4     19.1 149.9   3:40 (326, -1)  

* 65P/Gunn


It keeps locating at the same altitude until November, while it is fading gradually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  18 23.41  -33 48.9   1.603   2.498   144   12.6      3.9 255.3  21:40 (  0, 21)  
Aug.  9  18 22.03  -33 53.2   1.663   2.507   137   12.7      1.2 257.0  21:11 (  0, 21)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


Michael Jager reported it was 12 mag with a large coma on July 26.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  22 45.32   -3  5.8   4.866   5.747   147   13.1      5.2 261.4   2:06 (  0, 52)  
Aug.  9  22 42.74   -3 12.6   4.813   5.746   154   13.1      6.0 259.0   1:35 (  0, 52)  

* 66P/du Toit


Good condition in the Southern Hemisphere. Now it is much brighter than expected, reported as 12.5 mag visually in July.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  13  2.24  -25 50.2   1.128   1.321    75   13.3     41.8 126.7  20:39 ( 54,  4)  
Aug.  9  13 20.91  -28 45.8   1.126   1.300    74   13.1     45.2 124.1  20:30 ( 52,  2)  

* 81P/Wild 2


It will appear at dawn again in 2004 January at 14 mag, then fade out gradually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2   9 28.01   15 17.9   2.671   1.681    10   13.4     41.5 106.6  20:39 (119,-13)  
Aug.  9   9 47.31   13 50.5   2.657   1.660     8   13.3     42.3 107.8  20:30 (118,-14)  

* C/2002 T7 ( LINEAR )


It is expected to be 1 mag in the southern sky in 2004 spring. Mitsunori Tsumura observed it on July 31 and confirmed the comet is getting brighter as expected.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2   5 27.39   29 54.5   4.644   4.018    46   13.9      7.1  70.1   3:32 (250, 25)  
Aug.  9   5 30.84   30 12.1   4.471   3.939    52   13.7      6.6  66.6   3:40 (253, 31)  

* 116P/Wild 4


It kept brightening even after the perihelion passage in January, and reached to 12 mag in May. However now it is fading rapidly.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  15 22.44  -22 17.0   2.087   2.541   104   14.0     13.0 102.1  20:39 ( 31, 26)  
Aug.  9  15 29.26  -22 36.9   2.193   2.564    99   14.3     14.6 101.8  20:30 ( 33, 25)  

* 53P/Van Biesbroeck


It was reported brighter than 14 mag visually in July.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  15 51.40  -12 12.7   1.958   2.480   108   14.4     11.6 120.2  20:39 ( 28, 38)  
Aug.  9  15 56.74  -12 54.6   2.022   2.467   103   14.4     13.8 116.5  20:30 ( 32, 36)  

* C/2002 J4 ( NEAT )


It will be observable at 14.5 mag for a long time until autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  17 44.70  -57 20.5   2.961   3.677   128   14.5      5.7 235.2  21:02 (  0, -2)  
Aug.  9  17 37.99  -57  6.9   3.024   3.671   122   14.6     10.3 161.8  20:30 (  0, -2)  

* 118P/Sheomaker-Levy 4


It will appear at dawn in September at 15 mag, then fade out gradually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2   7 25.86   17 24.6   2.945   2.015    19   14.6     35.1  96.3   3:32 (245, -4)  
Aug.  9   7 42.83   16 54.4   2.925   2.019    21   14.6     34.9  97.7   3:40 (248, -1)  

* C/2003 H1 ( LINEAR )


It is expected to be as bright as 11.5 mag in 2004 spring. However, it has not been getting brighter at all since the discovery in April, and is still around 15.5 mag. Now it is about 1 mag fainter than the ephemeris.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  15  7.71   16  3.8   3.024   3.188    89   14.7     22.2 230.9  20:39 ( 66, 54)  
Aug.  9  15  0.11   14 25.4   3.096   3.136    82   14.7     20.0 225.4  20:30 ( 70, 48)  

* C/2002 X1 ( LINEAR )


Appearing at dawn. 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)  
Aug.  2   5 39.89   16 13.0   3.115   2.496    44   15.1      6.7 201.1   3:32 (261, 16)  
Aug.  9   5 38.31   15 27.0   3.003   2.504    51   15.1      8.1 211.1   3:40 (267, 23)  

* C/2001 K5 ( LINEAR )


Although it locates in good position until autumn, it will fade out slowly.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  18 17.27   56 24.3   5.380   5.634    99   15.4      5.0 250.8  21:34 (180, 69)  
Aug.  9  18 13.70   56  9.3   5.414   5.655    98   15.5      4.6 235.3  21:03 (180, 69)  

* C/2003 H3 ( NEAT )


It will be fading gradually until December when it becomes fainter than 18 mag and gets low in the evening.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  19  1.49    9  5.8   2.202   3.070   142   15.6     11.2 307.2  22:18 (  0, 64)  
Aug.  9  18 57.69    9 47.5   2.269   3.093   137   15.7      8.7 306.2  21:47 (  0, 65)  

* C/2003 K4 ( LINEAR )


It will be 7 mag in the southern sky from autumn to winter in 2004.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  20 20.81   32 35.2   4.815   5.512   129   15.8     15.1 263.0  23:37 (  0, 88)  
Aug.  9  20 12.46   32 17.1   4.745   5.446   129   15.7     15.5 257.8  23:01 (  0, 87)  

* C/2002 R3 ( LONEOS )


It will be observable at around 16 mag in good condition.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2   0 30.55   22 24.2   3.397   3.894   112   15.8     20.4 268.9   3:32 (341, 77)  
Aug.  9   0 19.51   22 16.1   3.287   3.901   120   15.8     23.4 265.4   3:12 (  0, 77)  

* C/2003 G1 ( LINEAR )


It will be observable in good condition at 16 mag until autumn.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  16 50.54   12 20.4   4.606   5.108   114   15.9      3.3 296.4  20:39 ( 19, 66)  
Aug.  9  16 49.44   12 28.5   4.707   5.123   108   16.0      1.8 298.2  20:30 ( 30, 65)  

* 22P/Kopff


Appearing at dawn, but no observations have been reported since 2002 September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2   2 50.71   11 16.3   2.497   2.623    85   16.1     11.6  81.5   3:32 (294, 47)  
Aug.  9   2 55.68   11 25.6   2.445   2.665    91   16.2      9.4  84.3   3:40 (301, 53)  

* 2002 CE10


Keeps good condition until autumn. It will reach to 15.7 mag in September.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2   1  4.22   33 35.3   1.663   2.093    99   16.9     36.6 252.5   3:32 (273, 79)  
Aug.  9   0 42.38   31 56.1   1.526   2.110   110   16.6     47.4 248.4   3:35 (  0, 87)  

* C/2002 J5 ( LINEAR )


It keeps 17 mag until 2004 summer.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  17  2.38   39 35.2   5.435   5.737   102   16.8     12.5 251.6  20:39 (140, 84)  
Aug.  9  16 55.64   39  4.6   5.497   5.734    98   16.8     11.5 245.7  20:30 (117, 80)  

* 43P/Wolf-Harrington


It will reach to 13 mag in the evening sky from winter to spring in 2004.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  23 37.03   25 10.9   1.937   2.600   120   17.2      9.6 356.9   2:57 (  0, 80)  
Aug.  9  23 36.18   26 14.4   1.834   2.558   125   17.0      9.0 342.0   2:29 (  0, 81)  

* C/2003 F1 ( LINEAR )


It keeps 17 mag until September when it becomes low in the evening sky.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  15 41.13   33 41.6   3.871   4.017    90   17.0     19.9 179.9  20:39 ( 93, 69)  
Aug.  9  15 41.60   31 22.3   3.936   4.021    87   17.0     19.9 175.3  20:30 ( 90, 65)  

* 104P/Kowal 2


Not yet observed in this return, but it should be brightening gradually. After September, it keeps locating in the evening sky until 2004 February when it becomes 15 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  21 35.75    9 16.1   2.024   2.948   150   17.7     12.4 274.6   0:56 (  0, 64)  
Aug.  9  21 29.60    9 17.7   1.958   2.905   154   17.5     13.6 267.8   0:23 (  0, 64)  

* C/2003 L2 ( LINEAR )


It will be observable around 17 mag from autumn to winter in the northern sky.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Aug.  2  17 33.57   66 30.3   3.213   3.340    88   17.8     15.4 273.5  20:49 (180, 58)  
Aug.  9  17 16.44   66 27.9   3.206   3.307    86   17.7     13.9 264.2  20:30 (175, 58)  

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