Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2006 Aug. 26: South)

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Updated on August 31, 2006
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Southern Hemisphere.

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* 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, and observable in good condition. It has been getting brighter and larger very rapidly since mid July. It is so bright as 8.4 mag still now, with a diameter of 8 arcmin or larger (Aug. 21, Juan Jose Gonzalez). In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps locating very high in the evening sky until winter when it becomes too faint. It will be bright visually until September, but it will fade out rapidly after October.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26  16 58.87   53 26.6   0.500   1.108    87    8.6  19:00 (177,  1)  
Sept. 2  17  7.07   58  7.1   0.532   1.109    86    8.8  19:05 (174, -4)  

* C/2006 M4 ( SWAN )

New comet discovered on the SWAN images. It was observed in the Southern Hemisphere in July, but now it is not observable. It was very bright as 9.6 mag visually on July 20 (David Seargent). It was about 10.0 mag in SOHO LASCO images on Aug. 15, almost bright as expected. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will appear at 7.5 mag in the extremely low sky at dawn in late September. It will turn to locate in the evening sky after early October. Then it keeps observable in the evening sky until early January while fading gradually. In the Southern Hemisphere, it cannot be observable until next April when it becomes fainter than 15 mag.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26  10 10.58   14 11.0   2.016   1.011     4    9.6   5:03 (265,-18)  
Sept. 2  10 24.56   17 12.5   1.910   0.935    10    9.1   4:54 (262,-19)  

* 4P/Faye

It is brightening as expected, and it is already visible visually. Now it is 11.7 mag (Aug. 22, Seiichi Yoshida). It will be brightening rapidly after this, and will reach to 9 mag from autumn to winter, and observable in its best condition. It keeps 14 mag still in 2007 March, so it keeps visible visually for a long time.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   1 35.86   15 14.0   1.079   1.851   124   11.2   3:20 (180, 40)  
Sept. 2   1 43.75   15 18.1   1.005   1.823   129   10.9   3:00 (180, 40)  

* 71P/Clark

It reached up to 10.3 mag on July 7 (Juan Jose Gonzalez). Then it is fading gradually. Now it is 13.0 mag (Aug. 21, Jose Carvajal). It keeps very low, only about 15 degree 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)  
Aug. 26  19 48.17  -40  3.3   0.867   1.739   135   12.3  21:30 (  0, 85)  
Sept. 2  19 54.58  -38 59.2   0.933   1.769   131   12.6  21:09 (  0, 86)  

* C/2006 L2 ( McNaught )

It is bright as 12.6 mag and visible visually (June 21, Juan Jose Gonzalez). In the Northern Hemisphere, it locates rather low in the evening. It will be too low at dusk to observe in October. But it will be getting higher in the morning sky after December. It keeps 13 mag until 2007 March, so it will be visible visually for a long time.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26  14 17.36   -5 44.8   2.543   2.249    61   13.0  19:00 (114, 39)  
Sept. 2  14 21.91   -4  4.1   2.615   2.211    55   13.0  19:05 (110, 33)  

* 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 13.0 mag (Aug. 22, Seiichi Yoshida). It will be too faint to see visually soon. The component B has faded out rapidly since June, and already so faint, fainter than 17 mag.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   2 12.85  -15  4.2   0.627   1.449   122   13.4   3:57 (180, 70)  
Sept. 2   2  3.20  -15 48.0   0.649   1.515   130   13.8   3:20 (180, 71)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Since it appeared in the morning sky in early July, it has been bright as 12-13 mag and visible visually. It is 13.2 mag still now (Aug. 22, Seiichi Yoshida). It is observable in good condition until winter.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   4 19.42   30 36.0   5.846   5.834    84   13.6   5:03 (194, 23)  
Sept. 2   4 21.71   30 50.2   5.738   5.835    90   13.5   4:54 (190, 23)  

* C/2005 E2 ( McNaught )

It had been observed at 10 mag in the evening sky from winter to spring. Although it has been unobservable since May, now it is appearing in the morning sky again. 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)  
Aug. 26   8 39.31   29 21.2   3.657   2.824    29   13.7   5:03 (240, -9)  
Sept. 2   8 50.37   28 40.7   3.678   2.893    33   13.8   4:54 (240, -7)  

* C/2003 WT42 ( LINEAR )

It has been visible at 13.5 mag for a long time since last autumn until spring. But it is already very low in the evening sky. It will be too low to observe soon. 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)  
Aug. 26  11 23.18   31 21.3   6.186   5.293    25   14.3  19:00 (117,-16)  
Sept. 2  11 30.32   30 27.6   6.202   5.304    24   14.3  19:05 (113,-21)  

* P/2006 HR30 ( Siding Spring )

Although it had been asteroidal for about one year since 2005 July, the cometary activity was detected in late July in 2006. But actually, it is almost stellar now. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps good condition after this. It keeps locating high until next spring. Now it is 15.5 mag and completely stellar visually (Aug. 22, Seiichi Yoshida). The light curve had been completely asteroidal so far. However, it can brighten rapidly as a comet after this, and it may reach to 11 mag in winter.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26  22 12.65   21 36.8   1.181   2.106   147   14.6  23:53 (180, 33)  
Sept. 2  22  0.13   23 36.0   1.119   2.039   146   14.3  23:12 (180, 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)  
Aug. 26  17 30.59  -22 31.3   1.069   1.710   110   14.6  19:13 (180, 78)  
Sept. 2  17 37.38  -22 28.9   1.088   1.670   105   14.5  19:05 (167, 77)  

* 117P/Helin-Roman-Alu 1

It is bright as 13.7 mag and visible visually (Aug. 22, Seiichi Yoshida). It keeps locating at the same altitude until December. But it will be too faint to see visually in October.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26  22 28.84  -23  2.6   2.276   3.269   167   14.6   0:14 (180, 78)  
Sept. 2  22 24.01  -23 23.1   2.300   3.282   163   14.7  23:37 (180, 78)  

* 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)  
Aug. 26  10 33.63   11 23.5   2.202   1.196     3   14.9  19:00 ( 93,-15)  
Sept. 2  10 54.75    9 25.6   2.299   1.293     3   15.5  19:05 ( 90,-16)  

* 52P/Harrington-Abell

It was in major outburst unexpectedly and reached to 10.5 mag in its last appearance in 1999. It was already recovered in 2005 October. But it has not been observed for about 1 year since that. So the current brightness is quite uncertain. It will appear in the morning sky at 15.5 mag in September, then it will fade out gradually. But actually, it can be much fainter than this ephemeris.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   9  8.37   20 27.2   2.681   1.760    19   15.3   5:03 (252, -9)  
Sept. 2   9 26.95   18 43.3   2.666   1.766    21   15.3   4:54 (253, -8)  

* 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak

It brightened much more rapidly than expected after late April, and reached to 9.5 mag on June 15 (Willian Souza). Then it has been fading very rapidly. It has already faded down to 13.3 mag (Aug. 20, Jakub Cerny), and it will be too faint to see visually soon. CCD observers reported that it has already fainter than 16 mag. Although it keeps higher than 20 deg in the evening sky until November, it may be too faint to observe soon.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26  15 21.46  -10 27.4   1.242   1.433    78   15.5  19:00 (126, 54)  
Sept. 2  15 46.46  -12 44.2   1.326   1.491    78   16.4  19:05 (121, 55)  

* C/2004 B1 ( LINEAR )

It was observed as 12 mag in spring. It was diffuse visually, but bright and enjoyable with a large telescope. However, it has already faded down to 16.2 mag (Aug. 14, Mitsunori Tsumura). It keeps observable in good condition until autumn. It will be very low in November, but it will be getting higher in the morning sky after that. So it keeps observable for a long time until it becomes too faint.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26  15 18.78   28  3.4   3.135   2.983    72   15.6  19:00 (152, 21)  
Sept. 2  15 19.64   27 31.1   3.287   3.050    67   15.8  19:05 (145, 18)  

* 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)  
Aug. 26  18 53.46  -23  5.4   5.980   6.671   129   15.7  20:35 (180, 78)  
Sept. 2  18 48.49  -22 48.9   6.057   6.645   121   15.7  20:02 (180, 78)  

* 114P/Wiseman-Skiff

Appearing at dawn. It will be observable at 15.5 mag for a long time from September to January.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   6 57.44   27 12.8   2.038   1.588    49   16.1   5:03 (227,  9)  
Sept. 2   7 18.96   25 41.2   1.996   1.582    51   16.0   4:54 (229, 10)  

* (3200) Phaethon

It is observable in good condition at 15 mag in September and October.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   9 17.58   38 50.7   0.596   0.590    31   16.7   5:03 (237,-21)  
Sept. 2   8 56.08   48 29.7   0.558   0.743    46   16.1   4:54 (224,-19)  

* P/2006 H1 ( McNaught )

It keeps observable at 17 mag in good condition until October.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26  23 49.26   -6 39.8   1.593   2.554   157   16.8   1:34 (180, 62)  
Sept. 2  23 44.45   -6 27.7   1.588   2.576   164   16.8   1:02 (180, 61)  

* C/2006 P1 ( McNaught )

It will pass only 0.17 A.U. from the sun in 2007 January. Now it is still faint as 17 mag. However, it may be already so bright as 14 mag (Aug. 21, Terry Lovejoy). The comet will be brightening gradually after this, but it keeps locating low in the evening in the Northern Hemisphere. It is not observable when it becomes brightest. After the perihelion passage, it is only observable in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26  16 25.16  -16 39.7   2.518   2.789    94   17.0  19:00 (144, 68)  
Sept. 2  16 22.39  -16 13.1   2.542   2.690    87   16.8  19:05 (128, 63)  

* 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 keeps 17 mag until autumn.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   0 45.37   51 58.5   3.178   3.648   109   16.9   2:30 (180,  3)  
Sept. 2   0 37.45   50 51.9   3.122   3.679   116   16.9   1:55 (180,  4)  

* C/2006 CK10 ( Catalina )

It was observed at 17 mag in spring. It will be observable in good condition at 17 mag again in autumn. It will be fainter than 18 mag in December.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   6 24.14   26 13.0   2.229   1.883    57   17.0   5:03 (222, 15)  
Sept. 2   6 18.45   24 35.5   2.109   1.918    65   16.9   4:54 (218, 19)  

* C/2006 M1 ( LINEAR )

It keeps 17 mag for a long time after this until the end of 2007. It will be observable in good condition in 2006 autumn and 2007 autumn.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26  19 24.47   47 52.5   3.410   3.875   110   17.0  21:06 (180,  7)  
Sept. 2  19 22.95   47 14.6   3.400   3.851   109   17.0  20:37 (180,  8)  

* 112P/Urata-Niijima

It was 19.3 mag on Aug. 23 (Luca Buzzi), fainter than this ephemeris by 1.5 mag. It will brighten rapidly after this. The condition of this apparition is excellent. It is expected to reach to 15.5 mag in October and November. But actually, it may be fainter than expected.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   3 27.42    5 53.5   1.084   1.620   101   17.3   5:03 (183, 49)  
Sept. 2   3 40.45    8 34.8   1.006   1.590   104   17.0   4:54 (181, 46)  

* P/2004 F3 ( NEAT )

It was bright as 15 mag in 2004 and 2005. Now it is far away from the sun, but it still observable at 17 mag in 2006.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   1 12.68  -13 34.7   3.209   4.010   137   17.1   2:57 (180, 69)  
Sept. 2   1 10.11  -14  8.7   3.171   4.027   143   17.1   2:27 (180, 69)  

* 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)  
Aug. 26  22 39.23  -12  4.0   2.325   3.333   174   17.1   0:24 (180, 67)  
Sept. 2  22 34.94  -12 43.2   2.336   3.342   174   17.1  23:48 (180, 68)  

* P/2005 JY126 ( Catalina )

It will be observable at 17 mag in good condition in September and October. Then it will fade out rapidly, and will be fainter than 18 mag in December.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   3 14.16   17 59.3   2.134   2.538   101   17.2   4:58 (180, 37)  
Sept. 2   3 18.30   17 26.1   2.073   2.565   107   17.2   4:35 (180, 38)  

* 84P/Giclas

It was 17.6 mag on July 23 (Filip Fratev). It will brighten after the perihelion passage. It will reach to 15.5 mag and will be observable in good condition from November to January.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   4 40.49   14 27.2   1.707   1.859    82   17.5   5:03 (205, 37)  
Sept. 2   4 54.28   14 43.8   1.652   1.866    85   17.3   4:54 (203, 37)  

* C/2003 K4 ( LINEAR )

It reached to 6 mag in 2004. It had been visible visually until January. It is appearing at dawn after a blank of half a year. It will be already very faint as 17 mag. It will be fading slowly around 17-18 mag until December.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   3  7.25   -1 25.6   7.262   7.630   107   17.3   4:51 (180, 56)  
Sept. 2   3  5.28   -1 43.9   7.212   7.687   114   17.3   4:22 (180, 57)  

* 76P/West-Kohoutek-Ikemura

It was observed at 18.5 mag on Aug. 27, as bright as expected (Luca Buzzi). It will brighten very rapidly in the morning sky after this. It will reach to 13.5 mag in November and December, and will be observable in an excellent condition.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   5 11.14    0  9.5   1.746   1.809    76   17.8   5:03 (223, 46)  
Sept. 2   5 25.89    1  2.8   1.663   1.779    79   17.4   4:54 (221, 46)  

* C/2006 K4 ( NEAT )

It will reach to 14.5 mag in 2007 summer, but it will be observable only in the Southern Hemisphere at that time. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable at 17.5 mag in good condition until autumn.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26  19 44.53    5 59.2   4.467   5.265   138   17.5  21:25 (180, 49)  
Sept. 2  19 39.34    4 38.6   4.486   5.219   132   17.4  20:53 (180, 50)  

* C/2005 R4 ( LINEAR )

It was observed at 17 mag in late 2005. In 2006, it will be observable at 17.5 mag in autumn.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   2 55.78   24 38.5   5.015   5.346   103   17.6   4:40 (180, 30)  
Sept. 2   2 49.95   24 39.5   4.903   5.358   111   17.5   4:07 (180, 30)  

* 173P/2005 T1 ( Mueller 5 )

The perihelion passage is in 2008. It will be observable for several years after this at around 17 mag. But it may fade out rapidly just after the perihelion passage.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   4 44.77   11 16.3   4.971   4.924    81   17.9   5:03 (208, 39)  
Sept. 2   4 47.95   11 16.4   4.853   4.911    87   17.8   4:54 (203, 41)  

* P/2005 SB216 ( LONEOS )

It will reach to 17 mag in autumn and winter.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Aug. 26   4 27.98   41 55.2   3.976   3.949    81   18.0   5:03 (193, 11)  
Sept. 2   4 33.89   42 51.2   3.873   3.939    86   17.9   4:54 (190, 11)  

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