Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2007 Feb. 3: South)

Japanese version Home page	Updated on February 4, 2007
Last week North Next week

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

C/2006 P1 ( McNaught ) Excellent great comet, few times in a lifetime, for southern people. It reached to -5.5 mag on Jan. 14 and 15, brighter than Venus, and visible even in daytime. Then it appeared in the evening sky in the Southern Hemisphere and many people enjoyed a fantastic view of a beautiful great comet, a enormous curving tail with so many striae over 40 degrees. Now it is observable both in the evening and morning. It has already faded down to 2.7 mag (Feb. 1, Luis Mansilla). It keeps observable almost all night after February until the comet has gone. It will never be observable again in the Northern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 21 16.65 -53 40.4 1.178 0.711 37 4.4 20:41 ( 30, 11) Feb. 10 21 34.37 -56 52.7 1.307 0.880 42 6.0 20:32 ( 28, 13) 4P/Faye It reached up to 9.3 mag between October and November (Oct. 27, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It had been observable in excellent condition. But it is fading now. It has already faded down to 11.8 mag (Jan. 20, Carlos Labordena). However, it keeps observable after this until May when it fades down to 16 mag. It will keep visible visually until around March. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 3 39.76 8 6.0 1.385 1.843 100 12.0 20:41 (143, 39) Feb. 10 3 52.67 9 7.1 1.474 1.872 97 12.4 20:32 (142, 38) C/2006 L2 ( McNaught ) Now it is 12.2 mag (Dec. 28, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It keeps 12-13 mag until March and visible visually. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 18 27.41 47 17.5 2.263 2.189 73 12.7 3:45 (228,-24) Feb. 10 18 51.31 51 36.0 2.268 2.225 74 12.8 3:54 (223,-24) C/2006 M4 ( SWAN ) It suddenly brightened in outburst on Oct. 24, and reached up to 4.2 mag on Oct. 25 (Maik Meyer). But it had faded down to 10.5 mag on Jan. 11 (Carlos Labordena). Now it is not observable. It will appear in the morning sky again at 15-16 mag in May. Then it keeps observable until it becomes fainter than 18 mag in autumn. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 21 46.86 -6 45.0 3.200 2.258 14 12.9 20:41 ( 68,-17) Feb. 10 21 55.14 -7 7.1 3.318 2.349 9 13.2 20:32 ( 66,-19) 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 In this season, it has been bright as 12-13 mag and visible visually since it appeared in the morning sky in early July. Another outburst occurred on Jan. 29 and it reached to 13 mag on CCD images (Albert Sanchez Caso). It keeps observable in good condition until March. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 3 43.86 28 55.4 5.525 5.880 106 13.5 20:41 (154, 21) Feb. 10 3 45.02 28 45.9 5.636 5.882 99 13.5 20:32 (151, 19) P/2006 HR30 ( Siding Spring ) Now it is 14.1 mag (Jan. 15, Maciej Reszelski). Almost asteroidal. It did not brighten at all since early September. Although the slight cometary activity was detected in late July, it became completely stellar soon. Its tail became visible again in late October, however, it turned to be stellar again soon. Finally it has passed the perihelion, keeping almost asteroidal. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps good condition after this. It keeps locating high until spring. It is fainter than this ephemeris recently. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 2 27.23 45 17.2 0.768 1.306 95 13.7 20:41 (150, 0) Feb. 10 3 16.21 42 29.5 0.801 1.343 96 13.8 20:32 (153, 5) 185P/2007 A3 ( Petriew ) First return of a new bright periodic comet observed at 9 mag in 2001. Filip Fratev caught it on Jan. 11 at 16.1 mag. It is fainter than expected by 2.5 mag. The condition of this apparition is bad. It keeps locating very low in the evening. Although it was expected to reach up to 11 mag in February and March, it will be 14 mag at best in fact. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 22 42.37 -4 19.0 1.761 0.990 27 14.1 20:41 ( 79, -8) Feb. 10 23 12.35 -2 28.3 1.724 0.962 27 13.8 20:32 ( 83, -7) C/2005 YW ( LINEAR ) It had been unobservble for a long time. When it appeared again in the morning sky, it has showed a cometary activity and it has become much brighter than expected. It was visible visually on Oct. 31 at 13.7 mag (Seiichi Yoshida). It is bright as 13.8 mag still now (Dec. 29, Katsumi Yoshimoto). It keeps 13-14 mag until March. It is observable in good condition in the Southern Hemisphere, although it is already not observable in the Northern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 14 34.59 -59 11.1 2.054 2.109 79 13.8 3:45 (330, 59) Feb. 10 14 53.00 -61 37.8 2.042 2.138 81 13.8 3:54 (337, 59) C/2006 L1 ( Garradd ) When it approached to the earth between from November to early December, it reached up to 8.5 mag as a very large diffuse object with a diameter larger than 10 arcmin (Nov. 23, Peter Bus). However, now it is fading rapidly. It has already faded down to 12.2 mag (Jan. 20, Carlos Labordena). It will be fainter than 14 mag, too faint to see visually, in February. It will set down in the evening sky at 17 mag in March. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 1 19.37 36 19.1 2.009 2.080 80 13.9 20:41 (134, -3) Feb. 10 1 17.55 35 29.4 2.215 2.145 73 14.5 20:32 (130, -5) C/2003 WT42 ( LINEAR ) It has been visible at 13.5 mag for a long time since 2005 autumn until 2006 spring. Now it is fainter than last year by 1 mag, however, it is still visible visually at 14.2 mag (Dec. 22, Seiichi Yoshida). It keeps observable in excellent condition until April. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 13 13.94 22 46.9 5.076 5.652 121 14.4 3:45 (190, 32) Feb. 10 13 13.49 23 1.9 5.020 5.673 127 14.4 3:54 (180, 32) 2P/Encke It will reach to 6 mag at the perihelion passage in mid April. It is observale while brightening gradually in the evening sky in the Northern Hemisphere. However, it will locate very low when it becomes bright enough to see visually. It will be 14 mag in mid February, when the altitude becomes lower than 20 degree. It will be 11.5 mag in mid March, when the altitude becomes lower than 10 degree. After conjunction with the sun, it appears in the morning sky at 12 mag in June. But it locates only 20 degree high at most, and it will be fading rapidly. In the Southern Hemisphere, it appears in the morning sky at 8 mag in May, then it will be bright and observable for a while. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 23 44.86 5 58.7 2.002 1.491 45 15.6 20:41 ( 97, -1) Feb. 10 23 55.76 7 1.6 1.970 1.395 41 14.9 20:32 ( 96, -3) C/2006 K3 ( McNaught ) It is observable in good condition in the Southern Hemisphere. But it is not observable until January in the Northern Hemisphere. It was discovered at 17.5 mag in May. Then it has not been brightening well. It is 16.5-17 mag still in December. It will be observable also in the Northern Hemisphere in the evening low sky from January to March, however, it will be fainter than 15 mag. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 2 29.14 -31 37.7 2.625 2.536 73 15.1 20:41 ( 82, 51) Feb. 10 2 28.60 -27 28.8 2.698 2.525 69 15.2 20:32 ( 86, 46) C/2005 EL173 ( LONEOS ) Now it is 15.5 mag (Dec. 3, Ken-ichi Kadota). It is observable at 15.5-16 mag until spring. But, in the Northern Hemisphere, it locates somewhat low at 20-30 degree high. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 5 27.84 -32 34.5 3.469 3.896 108 15.6 20:41 (148, 87) Feb. 10 5 16.01 -31 25.4 3.546 3.892 103 15.7 20:32 (112, 81) C/2006 XA1 ( LINEAR ) Now it is 15.9 mag (Jan. 10, Ken-ichi Kadota). It keeps observable at 15 mag in the evening sky until May. It is not observable around the perihelion passage in conjunction with the sun. Then it moves to the southern sky, and it will be unobservable in the Northern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 2 43.66 49 6.9 2.403 2.740 99 15.8 20:41 (154, -2) Feb. 10 2 52.14 47 59.8 2.421 2.680 94 15.7 20:32 (152, -2) C/2006 Q1 ( McNaught ) It will reach to 11 mag in 2008 spring. It keeps moving in the southern sky until that, so it keeps locating very low in the Northern Hemisphere. It keeps observable in good condition in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is observable at 16 mag in the evening low sky until March, then it will be unobservable. It will be observable again in a short time in the very low sky at dawn in November at 13 mag. After 2008 March, it will be visible visually at 11 mag in the morning low sky. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 4 50.84 -37 27.8 5.377 5.624 99 16.0 20:41 ( 71, 81) Feb. 10 4 49.85 -36 47.3 5.381 5.573 96 15.9 20:32 ( 78, 77) C/2005 E2 ( McNaught ) It was still visible visually at 14.2 mag on Oct. 31 (Seiichi Yoshida). However, it has already faded down to 15.8 mag (Dec. 15, Ernesto Guido and Giovanni Sostero). It keeps a good contition until spring, while the comet will be fading gradually. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 9 36.45 26 25.6 3.418 4.386 167 16.4 0:47 (180, 29) Feb. 10 9 30.76 26 36.5 3.482 4.452 167 16.5 0:14 (180, 28) C/2006 V1 ( Catalina ) It will be brightening gradually at the high altitude until 2007 spring, while it brightens up to 16 mag. Then it keeps 15.5-16 mag for one year and a half until 2008 summer. However, because the comet moves southwards, it is only observable until 2007 June in the Northern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 11 4.55 3 50.0 3.130 3.999 147 16.7 2:14 (180, 51) Feb. 10 11 0.57 3 28.3 3.031 3.951 155 16.6 1:43 (180, 52) 84P/Giclas It tends to become brightest about 4 months after the perihelion passage. In this apparition, it was 17.6 mag in late July around the perihelion passage (July 23, Filip Fratev), however, it brightened up to 14.1 mag and became visible visually on Dec. 23 (Seiichi Yoshida). But it will start fading after this. Although it keeps a good condition for a long time, it will be fainter than 18 mag in March. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 5 22.73 20 56.7 1.657 2.390 127 16.7 20:41 (177, 34) Feb. 10 5 25.39 21 25.5 1.761 2.424 121 16.9 20:32 (172, 33) 76P/West-Kohoutek-Ikemura It was expected to reach to 13 mag in winter. But actually, it was 15.7 mag at best (Dec. 5, Ken-ichi Kadota), much fainter than expected. It will fade out rapidly after this. It will be fainter than 18 mag in February. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 7 52.85 61 54.7 0.938 1.765 133 17.0 22:59 (180, -7) Feb. 10 7 49.81 62 33.1 1.003 1.794 128 17.3 22:29 (180, -8) P/2006 U5 ( Christensen ) It is observable in excellent condition at 17 mag in December and January. It will be fainer than 18 mag in April. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 6 8.97 28 36.7 1.500 2.328 138 17.1 21:16 (180, 26) Feb. 10 6 9.13 28 21.9 1.560 2.331 131 17.1 20:48 (180, 27) C/2002 VQ94 ( LINEAR ) Now it is 16.8 mag (Dec. 29, Katsumi Yoshimoto). It is outside of Jupiter's orbit. So it keeps 17 mag for a long time until 2007 summer. It keeps locating high and observable in good condition for a long time after this because it moves in the northern sky. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 14 50.40 38 32.8 6.899 7.185 103 17.1 3:45 (206, 10) Feb. 10 14 49.89 38 52.8 6.844 7.200 107 17.1 3:54 (199, 13) C/2004 D1 ( NEAT ) It reached to 16 mag in early 2006. Now it is 17.3 mag (Dec. 2, Ken-ichi Kadota). It will be fading very slowly from 17 mag to 18 mag until 2007 summer. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps locating high. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 14 23.52 31 55.4 5.300 5.671 107 17.2 3:45 (204, 18) Feb. 10 14 24.21 32 18.1 5.253 5.697 112 17.2 3:54 (196, 21) 173P/2005 T1 ( Mueller 5 ) Now it is 16.8 mag (Jan. 9, Mitsunori Tsumura). 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) Feb. 3 4 11.92 12 58.9 4.219 4.643 109 17.3 20:41 (154, 38) Feb. 10 4 12.67 13 25.1 4.312 4.632 102 17.3 20:32 (149, 36) 99P/Kowal 1 It was observed at 17.5 mag in 2006 spring. It will be observable at 17 mag in good condition in 2007 spring. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 14 11.85 -12 49.8 4.470 4.719 98 17.4 3:45 (231, 59) Feb. 10 14 13.58 -13 1.9 4.364 4.719 105 17.4 3:54 (216, 64) P/2005 SB216 ( LONEOS ) It has been observed in good condition at 17 mag. But it will be fading after this, and it becomes fainter than 18 mag in April. It will be observable in good condition at 18 mag again one year later. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 4 0.95 48 45.3 3.343 3.819 111 17.4 20:41 (165, 4) Feb. 10 4 4.38 48 12.7 3.426 3.818 106 17.5 20:32 (162, 3) 87P/Bus It was observed at 19 mag in mid December. It will reach to 17 mag in spring, and will be observable in good condition. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 11 13.48 2 58.8 1.547 2.425 145 17.7 2:23 (180, 52) Feb. 10 11 11.37 3 16.6 1.482 2.404 153 17.6 1:54 (180, 52) C/2004 B1 ( LINEAR ) It was visible visually at 12 mag in last spring. Now it is 17.2 mag (Dec. 29, Katsumi Yoshimoto), brighter than this ephemeris. It will keep good condition for a while after this, but it will be fading gradually. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 16 52.36 38 41.9 4.560 4.509 80 17.8 3:45 (225, -5) Feb. 10 16 54.11 40 28.9 4.558 4.574 84 17.8 3:54 (219, -1) 184P/2007 A1 ( Lovas 2 ) It had been lost since its discovery in 1986. But it was rediscovered on Jan. 9 at 16-17 mag. The condition is good in this return, and it was expected to reach to 14 mag from autumn to winter. But actually, it is fainter than originally expected, and it seems to have reached to 17 mag at best. It will be fainter than 18 mag in February. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 0 11.14 2 23.9 1.949 1.514 49 17.8 20:41 ( 98, 6) Feb. 10 0 32.21 4 36.3 2.012 1.545 48 17.9 20:32 (100, 6) 65P/Gunn Now it is around the aphelion and faintest, but it is observed at 18 mag. It will be observable at 18 mag in good condition until March. It will be 13-14 mag and visible visually again in 2009. It will reach to 12.5 mag in 2010. But in the Northern Hemisphere, it will locate very low in the south at that time. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 5 36.48 28 38.9 4.002 4.707 130 17.9 20:43 (180, 26) Feb. 10 5 34.48 28 37.1 4.087 4.703 123 17.9 20:32 (175, 26) 52P/Harrington-Abell It was in major outburst unexpectedly and reached to 10.5 mag in its last appearance in 1999. However, it is faint in this apparition. Now it is 17.4 mag (Nov. 23, Ken-ichi Kadota). It will fade out gradually after this. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) Feb. 3 13 57.13 -18 56.2 1.971 2.348 99 18.4 3:45 (234, 66) Feb. 10 14 0.22 -19 54.3 1.922 2.386 105 18.5 3:54 (218, 72)