Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2006 May 27: North)

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Updated on June 3, 2006
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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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* 73P-B/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3

It reached to 5 mag at best in early May at the remarkable approach to the earth, when it became double naked eye comets with the component C around the zenith. Now it is going away from the earth and fading. It has already faded down to 7.6 mag (May 31, Willian Souza). But the apparent distance between the two components is reduced and two bright comets become to be in the same field. In June, it locates extremely low in the morning. It will be getting higher gradually after July, however, it will be fading rapidly. Now it is a bit fainter than the component C. But it is still close to the sun. So another another outburst may occur due to the nuclear split.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27   0 27.17   -0 38.2   0.126   0.955    59    6.7   3:07 (279, 12)  
June  3   1  1.75   -6 49.1   0.179   0.942    61    7.3   3:02 (282,  5)  

* 73P-C/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3

It reached to 6 mag at best in early May at the remarkable approach to the earth, when it became double naked eye comets with the component B around the zenith. Now it is going away from the earth and fading. It has already faded down to 7.3 mag (May 31, Willian Souza). But the apparent distance between the two components is reduced and two bright comets become to be in the same field. In June, it locates extremely low in the morning. It will be getting higher gradually after July, however, it will be fading rapidly.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27   0 20.13   -2 42.7   0.148   0.953    62    6.9   3:07 (282, 12)  
June  3   0 55.01   -7 25.0   0.201   0.941    63    7.5   3:02 (284,  6)  

* 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak

It brightened much more rapidly than expected after late April. Now it reaches to 9.8 mag (May 30, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It becomes brightest in June and will start fading after July. But it keeps observable in the evening until autumn when it becomes too faint to see. It keeps locating around 30 degree high. Great outburst over 6 mag has occured always in recent appearances in 1995 and 2001. So it may brighten much more after this.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27   8 46.00   24 38.2   1.062   1.070    62   10.2  20:47 ( 98, 34)  
June  3   9 14.83   23 42.4   1.034   1.055    61    9.8  20:53 ( 98, 32)  

* C/2005 E2 ( McNaught )

It had been observed at 10 mag in the evening sky from winter to spring. But now it is not observable. It will appear in the morning sky again in late August at 13.5 mag. It will come to locate high in October, then it will be visible visually again at 14 mag.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27   5  5.34   34 11.8   2.919   1.973    17   11.7  20:47 (134, -1)  
June  3   5 26.57   34 30.0   2.991   2.032    15   11.9  20:53 (136, -3)  

* 71P/Clark

It was 11.7 mag on May 26 (Juan Jose Gonzalez). It keeps 12 mag until July. The condition is best beucase it is almost at opposition at the perihelion passage. However, it keeps very low, only 13-20 deg high until September in the Northern Hemisphere. When it gets higher again, it will be fainter than 14 mag, too faint to see visually.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27  19 17.79  -30 47.2   0.658   1.566   137   12.1   3:01 (  0, 24)  
June  3  19 25.83  -32 33.8   0.630   1.563   142   12.0   2:41 (  0, 23)  

* 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 (fainter fragments)

The components G, R, and other several fragments became bright up to 12-14 mag and visible visually from April to early May. However, all fragments were reported so faint after mid May. They are already extremely low in the morning and going away from the earth. So they will never be bright again after this.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27   0 28.90    0  8.5   0.120   0.957    58   12.1   3:07 (278, 12)  
June  3   1  3.49   -6 36.1   0.173   0.943    60   12.7   3:02 (282,  5)  

* C/2004 B1 ( LINEAR )

Now it is 12.8 mag (May 25, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Diffuse visually. It had been originally expected to reach to 9 mag at best. However, the brightness evolution had been very slow, and actually it is much fainter than originally expected. But with a large telescope, it is still bright and enjoyable. It will be observable in good condition after this until autumn. It will be visible bright as 12 mag for a while.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27  18 17.38   19 53.1   1.358   2.146   129   12.3   2:02 (  0, 75)  
June  3  17 49.17   24  8.6   1.404   2.206   130   12.4   1:06 (  0, 79)  

* 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova

The condition is worst in this time, not visible in the Northern Hemisphere at all. Now it is observable only in the Southern Hemisphere in the morning low sky. It was observed on May 24 by Michael Jager and Gerald Rhemann. The comet looks bright in their photo. It is brightening very rapidly after this, however, it is also getting lower very rapidly. In mid June, it will be 10 mag but will be too low to observe.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27   1 34.44    7  8.2   1.310   0.861    41   14.6   3:07 (263,  2)  
June  3   2 18.13   11 14.1   1.290   0.763    36   13.0   3:02 (257,  0)  

* C/2006 A1 ( Pojmanski )

It reached to 5.2 mag at best in late February and early March. It is fading rapidly, however, it is still bright as 12.2 mag (May 25, Juan Jose Gonzalez), brighter than this ephemeris. But now it is very diffuse. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition until it becomes too faint to see.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27   1 53.67   67 14.7   2.335   1.872    51   13.3   3:07 (206, 29)  
June  3   2 10.06   68 17.2   2.438   1.975    51   13.8   3:02 (205, 30)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

It did not brighten so frequently in 2005. But it was often bright as 12-13 mag in early 2006. Now it is not observable. It will appear again at dawn in July. Then it will be observable in good condition in autumn and winter.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27   3 16.61   26 22.6   6.788   5.811    14   13.9   3:07 (232, -5)  
June  3   3 22.64   26 45.5   6.764   5.813    18   13.9   3:02 (235, -2)  

* C/2003 WT42 ( LINEAR )

It has been visible at 13.5 mag since last October. Small and strongly condensed. It kept observable in good condition for a long time, but it will be getting lower in the evening, and will be too low to observe in July. However, it will be observable in good condition again at 14.5 mag in next winter.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27   9 58.43   44 14.7   5.415   5.203    72   13.9  20:47 (119, 53)  
June  3  10  3.56   43 14.4   5.501   5.207    67   13.9  20:53 (118, 48)  

* 4P/Faye

It was 15.5 mag on May 30 (Ernesto Guido and Giovanni Sostero), brightening as expected. Although it is still low in the morning sky, it will be getting higher and brightening rapidly after this. It will be 14 mag and visible visually in June. It will reach to 8.5 mag from autumn to winter, and observable in its best condition. It keeps 14 mag still in 2007 April, so it keeps visible visually for a long time.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27  23 19.69    3 12.3   2.401   2.328    73   14.9   3:07 (286, 27)  
June  3  23 30.83    4 25.3   2.285   2.287    77   14.6   3:02 (287, 30)  

* 102P/Shoemaker 1

Although it was not observed in its last return in 1999, it will be observable in good condition after the periheliion passage in this return. It will reach to 14.5 mag from June to August. Now it is appearing at dawn.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27   0 49.61   10 32.1   2.465   1.976    50   14.8   3:07 (266, 13)  
June  3   1  2.25   13  6.2   2.409   1.974    53   14.7   3:02 (265, 17)  

* 117P/Helin-Roman-Alu 1

In 2005 spring, it reached to 14 mag and became visible visually as 13.8 mag (July 8, Reinder J. Bouma). In 2006, it will be the same condition and brightness in summer again. Somewhat low in the south. But it will reach to 14 mag.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27  22 32.59  -18 53.6   2.920   3.136    92   15.3   3:07 (312, 20)  
June  3  22 37.67  -18 47.4   2.836   3.144    98   15.2   3:02 (316, 23)  

* C/2005 L3 ( McNaught )

It is outside of Jupiter's orbit, so it keeps observable for a long time. In 2006, it is still faint and locating somewhat low. But in 2007 and 2008, it is expected to be bright as 14.5-15 mag. It will locate high at that time, so it may be visible visually.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27  20 15.97  -24 40.3   6.406   7.033   124   16.1   3:07 (346, 29)  
June  3  20 11.29  -24 38.6   6.279   7.004   132   16.0   3:02 (353, 30)  

* 98P/Takamizawa

It is unexpectedly bright as 15.5 mag on Apr. 2 (Ken-ichi Kadota). But it keeps very low until June. It will be getting higher after it starts fading. However, it has ever become a naked eye object in outburst, so observations are encouraged.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27  23 23.41   -8 16.2   1.784   1.846    77   16.1   3:07 (295, 19)  
June  3  23 36.06   -7 43.0   1.748   1.876    80   16.2   3:02 (297, 21)  

* C/2004 Q2 ( Machholz )

It was fantastic, so bright as 3.5 mag, so large as 30 arcmin, locating high overhead at its best time in early 2004 January. Then it has been getting fainter gradually, and become already too faint to see visually. However, it is still bright as 15.8 mag by CCD observations (Mar. 30, Katsumi Yoshimoto). It keeps observable until October when it becomes fainter than 18 mag.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27  16 30.93    3 18.9   4.906   5.841   155   16.1   0:15 (  0, 58)  
June  3  16 26.56    3 12.6   4.973   5.903   154   16.2  23:38 (  0, 58)  

* C/2004 D1 ( NEAT )

It was 15.8 mag on Feb. 9 (Ken-ichi Kadota). It will be observable in good condition as 16 mag for a long time until next spring. It was too faint to see visually, fainter than 13.9 mag (Mar. 31, Seiichi Yoshida).

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27  10 35.74   56 57.5   5.203   5.040    75   16.4  20:47 (143, 57)  
June  3  10 41.43   55 43.4   5.277   5.049    71   16.5  20:53 (138, 53)  

* C/2005 K1 ( Skiff )

In 2005, it had been observed at 16 mag by CCD, or 14 mag visually, in spring and summer. It will be observable again at 16.5 mag in spring and summer in 2006. But the altitude will be somewhat lower than in 2005.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27  19 39.55   -8 42.6   3.333   4.049   129   16.6   3:07 (354, 46)  
June  3  19 35.30   -9 59.1   3.274   4.075   136   16.6   2:51 (  0, 45)  

* 174P/(60558) 2000 EC98 ( Echeclus )

It had been an extremely faint Centaur asteroid until 2004, fainter than 21 mag. However, it brightened up to 17.5 mag on 2005 Dec. 30, and a coma was observed, then it was revealed to be a comet. It brightened furthermore, 14.8 mag on Jan. 7 (Ken-ichi Kadota). It was also visible visually at 14.4 mag (Jan. 8, Seiichi Yoshida). It still keeps bright as 15.7 mag on Apr. 16 (Mitsunori Tsumura). Now the condensation of the outburst looks separatedly from the nucleus. Because it is a temporary brightening in outburst, it will return to be so faint as 21 mag in the near future. It will pass the perihelion in 2015. The heliocentric distance reduces down to 5.9 A.U., but it will be 17 mag at best. However, another outburst may happen again in the future.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27  12 58.57   -4  8.2  12.140  12.809   129   16.8  20:47 (  3, 51)  
June  3  12 57.79   -4  3.7  12.221  12.796   122   16.9  20:53 ( 17, 50)  

* C/2002 VQ94 ( LINEAR )

It is outside of Jupiter's orbit. So it keeps 16.5-17 mag for a long time. Because it moves in the northern sky, it keeps locating high and observable in good condition until 2006 summer.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27  13 32.02   65 26.7   6.794   6.834    87   16.8  21:12 (180, 60)  
June  3  13 26.57   64 18.7   6.843   6.838    85   16.8  20:53 (177, 61)  

* C/2005 B1 ( Christensen )

It was 16.0 mag on Mar. 13 (Ken-ichi Kadota). It kept 16-16.5 mag for about one year from early 2005. It had been locating somewhat low for a while, but it will be higher after this. It keeps 17 mag until autumn when the condition becomes good.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27   0 34.90   54  3.7   3.842   3.325    52   16.8   3:07 (224, 35)  
June  3   0 42.92   54  9.6   3.826   3.343    54   16.8   3:02 (225, 37)  

* D/1986 W1 ( Lovas 2 )

It has been lost since its discovery in 1986. The condition is good in this return. In calculation, it will be 14 mag from autumn to winter. However, it was probably in outburst and brightened unexpectedly at the discovery. So it can be much fainer than this ephemeris actually. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable until it fades out in next spring.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27  18 22.35  -24  5.1   1.381   2.316   150   17.2   2:06 (  0, 31)  
June  3  18 18.61  -24  3.5   1.296   2.268   157   16.9   1:35 (  0, 31)  

* 2006 HR30

Peculiar asteroid moving along a comet-like orbit. It will reach to 14 mag in next January. It keeps observable in good condition after this while getting brighter rapidly. It may turn to be a comet after this.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27  22 34.33   -2 34.5   2.861   2.972    86   17.5   3:07 (300, 32)  
June  3  22 38.84   -1  9.7   2.700   2.907    91   17.4   3:02 (303, 36)  

* P/2004 VR8 ( LONEOS )

Although it was faint as 18 mag at the discovery in 2004 November, then it brightened very rapidly until early 2005, and reached to 16.0 mag on May 7 (Ken-ichi Kadota). After it appeared in the morning sky again, it continued brightening furthermore, and reached to 14.7 mag on Nov. 22 (Ken-ichi Kadota). It was also visible visually as 14.4 mag (Mar. 29, Maciej Reszelski). However, it already faded down to 16.6 mag by CCD observations (Apr. 20, Mitsunori Tsumura). In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition until summer when it becomes too faint.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
May  27  13 17.42   11 22.4   2.410   3.112   125   17.4  20:58 (  0, 66)  
June  3  13 16.56   10 21.3   2.513   3.143   119   17.6  20:53 ( 14, 65)  

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