Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2006 June 24: North)

Japanese version Home page	Updated on June 26, 2006
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Northern Hemisphere.

45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova The condition is worst in this time, not visible in the Northern Hemisphere at all. It was observed in the Southern Hemisphere as 11.4 mag on June 6, as bright as expected (Michael Mattiazzo). However, in this appearance, the comet will never be observable again. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) June 24 4 47.98 21 3.5 1.392 0.545 19 8.8 3:00 (239, -7) July 1 5 41.03 22 36.1 1.465 0.531 13 8.6 3:03 (234, -9) 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 7.8 mag (June 10, Willian Souza). But the apparent distance between the two components is reduced and two bright comets become to be in the same field. It still locates high in the Southern Hemisphere. But in the Northern Hemisphere, it locates extremely low in the morning in June. 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) June 24 1 48.76 -11 20.5 0.360 0.972 72 8.9 3:00 (291, 9) July 1 2 0.18 -11 35.0 0.407 1.003 76 9.3 3:03 (294, 13) 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 8.5 mag (June 10, Willian Souza). But the apparent distance between the two components is reduced and two bright comets become to be in the same field. It still locates high in the Southern Hemisphere. But in the Northern Hemisphere, it locates extremely low in the morning in June. 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) June 24 1 51.87 -11 48.8 0.339 0.968 72 9.5 3:00 (291, 8) July 1 2 2.46 -12 9.1 0.386 0.998 76 10.0 3:03 (294, 12) 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak It brightened much more rapidly than expected after late April. Now it reaches to 9.5 mag (June 15, Willian Souza). 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) June 24 10 48.44 18 15.3 0.966 1.061 64 9.6 21:04 ( 92, 30) July 1 11 21.03 15 31.5 0.954 1.080 66 9.7 21:04 ( 89, 29) 71P/Clark Now it is brightest and reached to 11.0 mag (June 15, Willian Souza). It keeps 11-12 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) June 24 19 38.93 -37 58.6 0.587 1.571 156 11.9 1:32 ( 0, 17) July 1 19 39.73 -39 31.5 0.588 1.580 159 11.9 1:05 ( 0, 16) 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) June 24 6 25.74 34 23.4 3.206 2.219 11 12.4 21:04 (142, -7) July 1 6 43.83 34 5.1 3.274 2.284 10 12.6 21:04 (143, -9) C/2004 B1 ( LINEAR ) Now it is 12.8 mag (June 5, 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) June 24 16 31.90 30 55.8 1.706 2.391 120 13.0 22:20 ( 0, 86) July 1 16 12.40 31 32.8 1.845 2.455 115 13.3 21:33 ( 0, 87) C/2006 L2 ( McNaught ) New comet just discovered on June 14. It is bright as 13.4 mag and visible visually (June 16, Willian Souza). In the Northern Hemisphere, it locates rather low in the evening. In the Southern Hemisphere, it locates high. It will be observable at 13 mag for a long time after this. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) June 24 14 26.66 -32 26.1 1.891 2.665 130 13.1 21:04 ( 11, 22) July 1 14 18.75 -28 16.2 1.929 2.613 121 13.1 21:04 ( 20, 24) 4P/Faye It was 15.0 mag on June 13 (Giovanni Sostero and Ernesto Guido), brightening as expected. It will be getting higher and brightening rapidly after this. It will become visible visually soon. 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) June 24 0 4.13 8 0.3 1.946 2.166 88 13.6 3:00 (293, 41) July 1 0 15.15 9 8.7 1.836 2.127 91 13.3 3:03 (296, 46) 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 It did not brighten so frequently in 2005. But it was often bright as 12-13 mag in early 2006. It is appearing again at dawn. 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) June 24 3 40.15 27 51.7 6.633 5.818 33 13.8 3:00 (243, 9) July 1 3 45.69 28 12.7 6.572 5.819 39 13.8 3:03 (245, 14) 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) June 24 10 21.08 40 11.4 5.741 5.221 54 14.1 21:04 (119, 33) July 1 10 27.46 39 10.2 5.814 5.227 50 14.1 21:04 (119, 29) 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 in the morning sky, however, it has not been recovered yet. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) June 24 1 39.88 20 50.8 2.240 1.979 62 14.6 3:00 (264, 29) July 1 1 52.28 23 25.6 2.185 1.984 65 14.6 3:03 (264, 34) 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) June 24 22 47.86 -19 0.5 2.596 3.172 115 15.1 3:00 (332, 31) July 1 22 49.39 -19 15.9 2.524 3.182 121 15.1 3:03 (340, 33) 177P/2006 M3 ( Barnard 2 ) Recovered after 117 year blank since 1889. This time it will be closer to the earth than at the discovery. It moves northwards rapidly and keeps observable in good condition at 12-13 mag until September in the Northern Hemisphere. Based on the brightness in 1889, it can be much britghter than this ephemeris. However, because it is very close to the earth, it will look very diffuse. It was 15.0 mag on June 25 (Ernesto Guido and Giovanni Sostero), so it seems brighter than this ephemeris. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) June 24 17 42.54 -26 43.2 0.488 1.502 172 15.9 23:31 ( 0, 29) July 1 17 31.43 -18 44.7 0.430 1.434 163 15.1 22:52 ( 0, 37) 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) June 24 19 53.88 -24 32.6 5.975 6.918 156 15.9 1:47 ( 0, 30) July 1 19 47.16 -24 29.2 5.905 6.890 164 15.8 1:13 ( 0, 31) 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) June 24 17 59.47 -23 52.0 1.107 2.123 177 16.1 23:48 ( 0, 31) July 1 17 51.51 -23 44.1 1.067 2.075 169 15.9 23:13 ( 0, 31) 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) June 24 16 14.86 2 30.7 5.258 6.090 141 16.4 22:04 ( 0, 57) July 1 16 11.70 2 10.0 5.378 6.151 136 16.5 21:34 ( 0, 57) 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) June 24 0 8.09 -6 47.9 1.638 1.974 93 16.5 3:00 (305, 30) July 1 0 16.54 -6 46.9 1.601 2.009 97 16.6 3:03 (310, 34) 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) June 24 11 0.94 51 57.0 5.489 5.079 61 16.6 21:04 (131, 43) July 1 11 8.05 50 41.2 5.555 5.090 58 16.6 21:04 (130, 39) 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) June 24 22 48.63 3 29.3 2.231 2.710 107 16.8 3:00 (318, 51) July 1 22 50.28 5 11.7 2.082 2.644 112 16.6 3:03 (327, 56) 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) June 24 19 18.12 -14 20.7 3.179 4.156 161 16.7 1:12 ( 0, 41) July 1 19 11.37 -15 54.5 3.180 4.184 169 16.7 0:37 ( 0, 39) 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) June 24 13 17.33 60 31.3 7.001 6.855 77 16.9 21:04 (153, 58) July 1 13 16.30 59 10.8 7.056 6.861 74 16.9 21:04 (147, 56) 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) June 24 1 0.74 54 26.5 3.729 3.405 63 16.9 3:00 (225, 46) July 1 1 4.41 54 30.4 3.682 3.428 67 16.9 3:03 (225, 50) P/2006 H1 ( McNaught ) It is getting higher in the morning sky. It keeps observable at 17 mag in good condition after this until October. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) June 24 23 42.63 -11 14.7 2.042 2.443 100 17.1 3:00 (314, 31) July 1 23 48.18 -10 25.5 1.977 2.455 105 17.1 3:03 (320, 35) P/2005 L1 ( McNaught ) It was observed at 17 mag in 2005 summer. It will reach to 17 mag again in 2006 summer. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) June 24 22 52.96 -8 11.3 2.751 3.255 110 17.3 3:00 (325, 40) July 1 22 54.77 -8 15.7 2.671 3.263 117 17.3 3:03 (333, 43) 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) June 24 12 56.76 -3 58.8 12.502 12.758 102 17.4 21:04 ( 47, 39) July 1 12 56.87 -4 0.1 12.604 12.745 95 17.5 21:04 ( 53, 35) C/2005 S4 ( McNaught ) It is outside of Jupiter's orbit. So it keeps 16.5-17.5 mag for a long time until 2008. In 2006, it keeps observable in good condition until November. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) June 24 22 3.71 -16 51.8 5.824 6.462 125 17.4 3:00 (343, 36) July 1 21 59.36 -16 41.0 5.709 6.442 132 17.4 3:03 (353, 38)