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

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Updated on November 30, 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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* 2P/Encke


It was about 7-8 mag visually in mid November. Very large and diffused. It will become lower and lower in the evening sky, and unobservable in early December.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  18 35.64    9  5.5   0.304   0.803    45    7.0    143.5 226.6  18:18 ( 82, 26)  
Dec.  6  17 52.56   -1 18.0   0.366   0.677    26    6.9    113.0 225.3  18:18 ( 84,  6)  

* C/2002 T7 ( LINEAR )


It is expected to be 1 mag in the southern sky in 2004 spring. Brightening as expected.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29   3 15.38   36 51.1   1.630   2.577   159    9.7     53.3 259.8  22:41 (180, 88)  
Dec.  6   2 44.73   35 22.6   1.580   2.484   150    9.4     55.3 254.0  21:43 (180, 90)  

* C/2001 Q4 ( NEAT )


It is expected to be 1 mag in 2004 spring. But recent brightness evolution is slower than expected, so it may reaches to only 3 mag at best. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition until that time. On the other hand, 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)  
Nov. 29   1 30.70  -79 30.4   2.777   2.724    76   10.8     18.5 269.4  20:55 (  0,-24)  
Dec.  6   0 46.00  -79 11.5   2.751   2.640    73   10.7     17.3 286.4  19:44 (  0,-24)  

* C/2001 HT50 ( LINEAR-NEAT )


It is observable around 11 mag in good condition, but it will fade out gradually after this.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29   1 44.41   12 13.9   2.309   3.148   142   11.7     37.5 256.9  21:11 (  0, 67)  
Dec.  6   1 28.42   11 17.8   2.444   3.181   131   11.9     31.5 256.4  20:28 (  0, 66)  

* C/2003 T3 ( Tabur )


It had not been brightening at all after disdovery in October, and still keeps 11-12 mag. Now it locates very low sky in the evening in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is only observable until early January.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  20 40.55  -42 16.8   2.886   2.509    58   11.8     25.0  34.3  18:18 ( 23,  7)  
Dec.  6  20 49.69  -39 51.0   2.894   2.440    53   11.7     26.0  36.4  18:18 ( 28,  8)  

* 81P/Wild 2


It will appear at dawn soon, then fade out gradually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  14 58.05  -14 43.7   2.605   1.712    20   13.4     41.0 105.9   5:18 (289,  1)  
Dec.  6  15 16.97  -15 57.8   2.608   1.738    22   13.5     40.0 104.6   5:23 (292,  3)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1


No evident activity had been observed since October. Now it is faint.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  22 19.38   -4 60.0   5.673   5.734    88   13.5      4.7  71.9  18:18 ( 11, 49)  
Dec.  6  22 21.71   -4 48.3   5.784   5.733    82   13.5      5.8  71.1  18:18 ( 21, 48)  

* 43P/Wolf-Harrington


It will reach to 13 mag in the evening sky from winter to spring in 2004. It was already observed visually as 13-14 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  23  3.02   15 54.5   1.385   1.909   106   13.6     18.7 116.9  18:32 (  0, 71)  
Dec.  6  23 11.87   15  0.8   1.416   1.873   101   13.5     21.0 109.0  18:18 (  3, 70)  

* C/2003 T2 ( LINEAR )


It will be observable at 14 mag in good condition until the end of 2003.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29   1 45.96   52 40.8   0.942   1.797   137   13.9     92.6 186.7  21:13 (180, 73)  
Dec.  6   1 40.67   41 58.0   0.962   1.809   136   14.0     90.2 183.0  20:41 (180, 84)  

* 65P/Gunn


It will be lower than 10 deg at the end of 2003. It becomes observable again at 15.5 mag after 2004 June.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  20 25.70  -27 59.5   3.152   2.729    56   14.5     23.4  73.9  18:18 ( 33, 19)  
Dec.  6  20 37.63  -27 12.4   3.243   2.746    51   14.6     23.8  73.2  18:18 ( 37, 17)  

* 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)  
Nov. 29  19 17.46   17 30.2   4.781   4.351    58   14.8      7.0 142.3  18:18 ( 84, 40)  
Dec.  6  19 19.78   16 54.3   4.782   4.279    54   14.7      7.0 132.2  18:18 ( 87, 35)  

* C/2003 H1 ( LINEAR )


Appearing at dawn. It will be 13 mag between February and April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  14 48.69   -7 24.0   3.295   2.443    25   15.0     10.2 166.7   5:18 (285,  8)  
Dec.  6  14 49.64   -8 34.0   3.196   2.413    31   14.9     10.2 170.8   5:23 (290, 13)  

* C/2002 X1 ( LINEAR )


It will become too low in the evening sky at 17 mag in February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29   1 25.58  -12 35.3   2.212   2.901   125   15.0     35.2 259.9  20:52 (  0, 42)  
Dec.  6   1 10.58  -13  8.4   2.371   2.940   115   15.3     28.4 262.9  20:10 (  0, 42)  

* 40P/Vaisala 1


It will be observable in good condition at 14 mag from January to April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  12 12.73    2 21.3   2.084   1.880    64   15.3     37.5 104.7   5:18 (306, 43)  
Dec.  6  12 29.69    1 15.8   2.007   1.861    67   15.1     37.5 104.1   5:23 (311, 45)  

* 53P/Van Biesbroeck


Although it will be too low to observe soon, it will be observable again in next summer at 16.5-17 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  19  4.03  -20  4.2   3.140   2.451    38   15.4     29.8  87.3  18:18 ( 53, 13)  
Dec.  6  19 18.83  -19 51.2   3.200   2.461    35   15.4     30.0  85.7  18:18 ( 56, 11)  

* 123P/West-Hartley


It is observable around 14.5 mag from December to April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  11 59.47   16  9.7   2.188   2.130    73   15.5     27.8 107.8   5:18 (294, 55)  
Dec.  6  12 12.06   15 11.7   2.116   2.129    77   15.4     26.7 107.5   5:23 (301, 58)  

* 157P/2003 T1 ( Tritton )


It became extremely bright in outburst and reached to 12 mag in early October. It was as bright as 12.5 mag in late October, however it was extremely diffused. No visual observations have been reported in November.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  11 19.88    2 36.8   1.499   1.591    76   15.9     32.3 122.0   5:18 (321, 51)  
Dec.  6  11 32.09    0 39.8   1.474   1.625    80   16.2     29.7 123.2   5:23 (330, 52)  

* C/2003 L2 ( LINEAR )


It will be observable around 16 mag until March in the northern sky.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  17 49.18   64 15.7   2.783   2.911    87   16.1     19.2  64.7  18:18 (148, 38)  
Dec.  6  18  9.37   65 16.8   2.742   2.899    89   16.0     21.6  64.1  18:18 (150, 37)  

* P/2002 T6 ( NEAT-LINEAR )


Now it is much brighter than expected, around 16 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29   7  4.29    9 25.1   2.756   3.553   138   16.0      5.0 232.7   2:35 (  0, 64)  
Dec.  6   7  2.00    9  5.7   2.714   3.568   145   16.0      6.1 246.1   2:05 (  0, 64)  

* C/2003 V1 ( LINEAR )


New comet. Although it must have been bright for more than one year, it was not discovered until recently. It will be observable while it is getting fainter, until March when it will be fainter than 18 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  10 38.35   42 41.2   3.264   3.581   100   16.3      7.1  44.1   5:18 (229, 77)  
Dec.  6  10 40.87   43 19.1   3.241   3.644   106   16.4      6.5  27.3   5:23 (204, 81)  

* 118P/Sheomaker-Levy 4


It will be fading slowly and become fainter than 18 mag in April.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  11 23.78    2 52.2   2.295   2.263    75   16.4     21.4 106.4   5:18 (320, 51)  
Dec.  6  11 33.02    2 12.6   2.234   2.287    80   16.4     19.7 105.5   5:23 (329, 53)  

* C/2003 W1 ( LINEAR )


New comet. It keeps 16.5 mag until early January. But it will be fading after that, and will be fainter than 18 mag in early February.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  18 41.88   65 30.7   1.352   1.689    91   16.4     53.3  72.4  18:18 (150, 43)  
Dec.  6  19 46.69   66 46.0   1.304   1.704    95   16.4     60.7  84.0  18:18 (153, 47)  

* C/2001 K5 ( LINEAR )


Fading slowly. It keeps observable in the Northern Hemisphere until 2004 May when it becomes fainter than 18 mag.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  19  7.08   48  7.1   6.137   6.029    79   16.4     11.7  98.8  18:18 (126, 47)  
Dec.  6  19 15.33   47 56.5   6.188   6.055    77   16.5     12.1  95.5  18:18 (126, 44)  

* C/2002 R3 ( LONEOS )


It will become 17 mag and lower than 30 deg at the end of 2003.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  21 29.85    4 11.5   4.186   4.138    80   16.7      7.3 215.8  18:18 ( 35, 54)  
Dec.  6  21 28.27    3 33.7   4.338   4.160    73   16.8      5.5 207.4  18:18 ( 45, 50)  

* (3200) Phaethon


After the perihelion passage in late September, now it is in good condition to observe. It will be fainter than 18 mag at the end of 2003.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29  21 43.45   16 10.7   0.978   1.367    88   16.7     55.6  93.6  18:18 ( 42, 66)  
Dec.  6  22  7.99   15 49.5   1.117   1.452    87   17.0     46.2  92.9  18:18 ( 43, 66)  

* P/2002 T5 ( LINEAR )


It is observable around 17 mag until 2004 spring.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29   8 30.61   12 36.9   3.456   4.031   119   16.7      3.8   5.7   4:01 (  0, 68)  
Dec.  6   8 30.38   13  5.7   3.375   4.040   126   16.7      4.7 343.6   3:34 (  0, 68)  

* P/2002 LZ11 ( LINEAR )


An object discovered about one and a half year ago was revealed as a comet recently. It will be fainter than 18 mag in January.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29   2 36.46   15 41.4   1.945   2.871   155   17.0      9.5 228.1  22:04 (  0, 71)  
Dec.  6   2 33.53   15  0.1   2.015   2.894   147   17.1      7.4 222.6  21:34 (  0, 70)  

* C/2003 U1 ( LINEAR )


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)  
Nov. 29   0 28.20  -20 23.7   1.231   1.823   110   17.2     63.7 274.2  19:54 (  0, 35)  
Dec.  6   0  1.64  -19 38.5   1.416   1.840    98   17.5     45.1 279.5  19:01 (  0, 35)  

* P/2003 S2 ( NEAT )


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)  
Nov. 29   1 26.71   -0 13.9   1.737   2.516   133   17.2      5.0 348.3  20:55 (  0, 55)  
Dec.  6   1 26.84    0 23.8   1.814   2.526   126   17.3      6.1  15.1  20:27 (  0, 55)  

* C/2003 T4 ( LINEAR )


It is expected to be 5 mag in 2005 spring. Until that time, it keeps observable in the Northern Hemisphere, which the comet will be getting brighter gradually.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29   8 18.58   72 52.3   5.579   6.118   118   17.6     10.9 338.5   3:50 (180, 52)  
Dec.  6   8 10.76   74  2.3   5.476   6.054   121   17.5     11.3 330.8   3:14 (180, 51)  

* 36P/Whipple


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)  
Nov. 29   3 12.43    6 27.0   2.233   3.171   158   17.8      8.9 252.3  22:40 (  0, 61)  
Dec.  6   3  8.76    6 11.4   2.280   3.178   151   17.8      7.3 256.2  22:09 (  0, 61)  

* P/2003 S1 ( NEAT )


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)  
Nov. 29   0 14.84    6 38.7   2.099   2.725   119   17.8      5.0 105.2  19:43 (  0, 62)  
Dec.  6   0 17.65    6 33.4   2.167   2.711   113   17.8      7.2  91.6  19:18 (  0, 62)  

* P/2003 O2 ( LINEAR )


Fading much faster than expected. It seems to be fainter than 18 mag soon.
Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1    Mot.(') p.a.  Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 29   4 16.37   53 24.4   0.852   1.768   147   17.8     10.2 238.7  23:43 (180, 72)  
Dec.  6   4 10.09   52 35.6   0.890   1.807   148   18.2     11.2 220.8  23:10 (180, 72)  

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