Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2009 Jan. 17: South)

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Updated on January 25, 2009
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Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Southern Hemisphere.
Azimuth indicates 0 for south, 90 for west, 180 for north, 270 for east.

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* C/2007 N3 ( Lulin )

Getting higher rapidly in the morning sky. Now it is 6.8 mag (Jan. 17, Marco Goiato). It is expected to reach to 5 mag in February. It keeps observable in the excellent condition long time around the highlight until spring. Because it moves along the ecliptic plane, the anti-tail is clearly visible.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  15 46.10  -19  1.1   1.399   1.217    58    7.2   3:22 (275, 27)  
Jan. 24  15 34.94  -18 25.1   1.190   1.230    68    6.9   3:31 (268, 37)  

* 85P/Boethin

It was expected to reach up to 7 mag and to be observable in good condition in winter. However, this comet has not been observed since 1986. It was not detected, fainter than 20 mag on Dec. 1 (Takaaki Oribe). It seems much fainter than expected. The condition of this apparition is good. It keeps observable for a long time until early summer both in the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   0 54.16   11 52.4   0.924   1.230    80    8.4  20:57 (120, 18)  
Jan. 24   1 25.36   14 57.4   0.962   1.268    81    9.0  20:51 (124, 18)  

* 144P/Kushida

It has brightened much faster than expected. Now it is so bright as 8.4 mag (Jan. 16, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Very large and visible through binoculars. It keeps bright as 9 mag locating high in the evening sky, observable in good condition until February. Then it keeps observable for a long time until early summer.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   3 52.15   15 42.6   0.654   1.443   122    8.9  20:57 (164, 38)  
Jan. 24   4  5.86   15 54.2   0.681   1.439   118    8.9  20:51 (162, 37)  

* C/2006 W3 ( Christensen )

Brightening very rapidly, faster than expected. It is already so bright as 9.8 mag (Jan. 16, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It is expected to reach to 8 mag in 2009 summer. Because it moves in the northern sky, it keeps observable until it becomes brightest in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  22  6.28   41 14.1   3.762   3.531    69   10.0  20:57 (122,-29)  
Jan. 24  22 10.00   39 44.7   3.822   3.501    63    9.9  20:51 (119,-31)  

* C/2008 A1 ( McNaught )

It reached to 6.3 mag in September in the southern sky (Sept. 4, Marco Goiato). Now it is still bright as 9.8 mag (Jan. 4, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It keeps observable in the northern sky while fading gradually. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will never be observable again.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  19 22.98   29 13.5   2.480   2.006    50   10.5   3:22 (261,-43)  
Jan. 24  19 36.91   32 20.3   2.529   2.088    52   10.7   3:31 (254,-39)  

* C/2006 OF2 ( Broughton )

Now it is bright as 9.8 mag (Jan. 16, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It will be fading slowly after this. It keeps visible visually for a long time until May when it becomes low in the evening at 13 mag.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   5 58.37   52 45.5   1.945   2.778   140   10.5  22:10 (180,  2)  
Jan. 24   5 56.44   50 54.2   2.015   2.815   136   10.6  21:41 (180,  4)  

* 210P/2008 X4 ( Christensen )

First return of a bright new periodic comet discovered by SOHO spacecraft in 2003. Now it was re-discovered by STEREO-B spacecraft. Appearing in the morning sky. Now it is bright as 10.8 mag (Jan. 10, Marco Goiato), but fainter than originally expected by 1 or 2 mag. It keeps observable in good condition while fading gradually after this.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  16 21.03   -9 28.1   0.576   0.784    52   11.2   3:22 (271, 15)  
Jan. 24  16 14.45   -7 35.6   0.626   0.882    61   12.2   3:31 (263, 23)  

* C/2007 G1 ( LINEAR )

It brightened up to 11.5 mag in summer (Aug. 4, Marco Goiato). It keeps bright at 12 mag for a long time until 2009 spring. However, it is not observable in the Northern Hemisphere now. It will appear in the northern sky again in 2009 autumn, but it will be fainter than 15 mag and will keep locating very low after that. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable for a long time until it fades out.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  19  6.97  -72 14.9   3.220   2.726    51   12.4   3:22 (343, 25)  
Jan. 24  19 49.47  -73 54.9   3.190   2.744    54   12.4   3:31 (345, 26)  

* C/2007 Q3 ( Siding Spring )

Already bright as 12.8 mag, and visible visually (Jan. 5, Marco Goiato). It is extremely low in the Northern Hemisphere now, but observable in good condition in the Southern Hemisphere. It is expected to brighten up to 10 mag from late 2009 to early 2010. Because the comet moves in the southern sky for a long time, it keeps impossible or very hard to observe in the Northern Hemisphere until 2009 September. But after 2009 October, it is observable at 10 mag for a while in good condition. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable for a long time while brightening until 2009 June when it brightens to 11 mag. But it becomes unobservable around and after the brightest time.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   5 23.90  -50 58.3   3.327   3.643   100   12.5  21:35 (  0, 74)  
Jan. 24   5 19.60  -49 31.2   3.286   3.588    99   12.4  21:03 (  0, 76)  

* C/2006 Q1 ( McNaught )

It reached to 10.9 mag in May (May 11, Marco Goiato). It is fading slowly. Now it is 13.7 mag (Jan. 9, Ken-ichi Kadota). It keeps bright as 12-14 mag for a long time after this until summer.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  16  2.95    7 19.7   3.732   3.411    63   13.0   3:22 (255,  9)  
Jan. 24  16 10.77    8 40.8   3.687   3.452    68   13.0   3:31 (249, 14)  

* 22P/Kopff

Now it is 14.7 mag, brightening as expected (Jan. 10, Ken-ichi Kadota). It will be bright at 9-10 mag for a long time from spring to autumn.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  15 58.42  -16 27.9   2.383   2.008    56   13.5   3:22 (274, 23)  
Jan. 24  16 15.41  -17 10.7   2.285   1.969    59   13.3   3:31 (272, 28)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

New outburst occured in late December, and now it looks bright as 10.7 mag (Jan. 7, Marco Goiato). In addition, the remnant of the major outburst in late September is still visible. Under the excellent condition, the huge faint coma expading up to 9 arcmin is also visible.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   8  1.18   23 32.4   5.115   6.097   176   13.4   0:17 (180, 31)  
Jan. 24   7 57.54   23 37.1   5.122   6.099   172   13.4  23:41 (180, 31)  

* 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Now it is bright as 11.5 mag (Jan. 16, Juan Jose Gonzalez), already visible visually. It keeps 12-13 mag and observable in the evening sky for a long time until May.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  23 29.04   -5 49.3   1.673   1.349    53   13.6  20:57 ( 92, 13)  
Jan. 24  23 48.33   -3  8.9   1.672   1.319    52   13.5  20:51 ( 94, 10)  

* C/2008 T2 ( Cardinal )

Now it is 13.3 mag, and visible visually (Jan. 16, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It locates near by Polaris until December, and observable all night. It will brighten gradually after this, and reach to 10-11 mag in June. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition until May when it becomes brightest. But it will never be observable again after that. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is not observable until April. But after that, it will be observable while fading gradually.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   1 33.61   76 57.4   1.930   2.435   108   13.8  20:57 (169,-26)  
Jan. 24   1 53.56   74 17.8   1.882   2.357   106   13.6  20:51 (167,-24)  

* 19P/Borrelly

It reached up to 9.6 mag in summer (Aug. 2, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Now it is fading. It has already faded down to 13.6 mag (Jan. 9, Ken-ichi Kadota). It keeps observable and fading in the morning sky after this. It will be visible visually for some more time.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  13 46.43   30 10.9   1.899   2.316   102   14.3   3:22 (215, 15)  
Jan. 24  13 50.56   31 19.8   1.882   2.366   107   14.4   3:31 (208, 17)  

* 116P/Wild 4

Now it is 14.3 mag (Jan. 8, Alan Hale), already visible visually. It was expected to be observable at 12-13 mag for a long time from January to July. But actually, it is much fainter. It seems to reach only up to 14 mag.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  10  0.84   17 38.9   1.611   2.513   150   14.7   2:16 (180, 37)  
Jan. 24   9 57.42   18  1.5   1.550   2.491   158   14.6   1:45 (180, 37)  

* C/2005 L3 ( McNaught )

It had been bright and visible visually around 13 mag from spring to autumn in 2008. It will be visible visually at 14 mag again until summer.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  15 18.70   22 54.7   6.275   6.187    80   14.8   3:22 (236,  7)  
Jan. 24  15 18.18   23 51.5   6.193   6.209    86   14.7   3:31 (229, 12)  

* C/2009 A1 ( STEREO )

A tiny comet discovered by the STEREO spacecraft. It passed only 0.13 A.U. from the sun on Jan. 11. It will appear in the southern morning sky while fading very rapidly.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  18 58.12  -26 10.3   0.851   0.263    14   14.8   3:22 (307, -6)  
Jan. 24  18 43.69  -38 50.4   0.922   0.488    29   17.7   3:31 (310, 11)  

* C/2007 B2 ( Skiff )

It brightened up to 12.7 mag in 2008 spring (Apr. 12, Marco Goiato). However, it has already faded down to 14.9 mag (July 22, Mitsunori Tsumura). It will never be observable again in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  17 36.22  -43  6.9   4.055   3.318    36   14.9   3:22 (310, 18)  
Jan. 24  17 50.40  -43 45.4   4.035   3.349    40   15.0   3:31 (309, 22)  

* 65P/Gunn

Now it is 15.6 mag (Jan. 10, Ken-ichi Kadota). It will brighten up to 12-13 mag in 2010 summer. It reaches to 14.5 mag in 2009 spring, and keeps observable in good condition until 2009 summer.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  12 38.39    8 53.3   2.849   3.333   111   15.3   3:22 (211, 41)  
Jan. 24  12 40.29    9  5.1   2.737   3.311   117   15.2   3:31 (199, 44)  

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh

Now it is 16.2 mag (Jan. 10, Ken-ichi Kadota). It will be observable at 15-16 mag in good condition until spring.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   9 40.33   21 51.0   2.702   3.621   155   15.3   1:55 (180, 33)  
Jan. 24   9 36.41   22 22.0   2.663   3.617   163   15.3   1:24 (180, 33)  

* 6P/d'Arrest

It reached up to 8.5 mag in September (Sept. 24, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Diffuse object expanding a large coma. It is already fading very rapidly. It was bright and visible visually at about 12.2 mag still on Dec. 21 (Marco Goiato). However, it has already faded down to 16.1 mag (Jan. 12, Y. Sugiyama). It will be fainter than 18 mag in February.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   1 29.36  -12 13.6   2.076   2.132    79   15.7  20:57 (105, 40)  
Jan. 24   1 40.59  -10 22.7   2.197   2.182    76   16.3  20:51 (105, 37)  

* 204P/2008 R5 ( LINEAR-NEAT )

At the discovery in 2001, it became much brighter after the perihelion passage. In this apparition, although it was so faint as 20 mag in early September, it has already brightened rapidly up to 17.2 mag (Dec. 20, J. M. Ruiz). It will reach up to 16 mag in January, and will be observable in good condition.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   8 32.93   21 36.6   0.990   1.968   171   16.0   0:48 (180, 33)  
Jan. 24   8 28.82   22 32.1   0.995   1.978   176   16.0   0:17 (180, 33)  

* C/2006 U6 ( Spacewatch )

Now it is 16.2 mag (Jan. 3, Ken-ichi Kadota). It should have reached up to 14.5 mag in summer in the southern sky, but it is already fading. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable for a long time after this. It is finally appearing in the morning sky also in the Northern Hemisphere soon. It keeps observable while the comet will be fading slowly after this.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  12 20.33  -26 25.7   3.131   3.447   100   16.0   3:22 (247, 72)  
Jan. 24  12 18.20  -25 29.3   3.065   3.495   107   16.0   3:31 (220, 78)  

* 59P/Kearns-Kwee

Now it is 16.4 mag (Jan. 1, Ken-ichi Kadota). It will be getting fainter and lower in the evening sky. It becomes unobservable in May.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   2 18.24   25  4.8   1.957   2.386   103   16.0  20:57 (145, 21)  
Jan. 24   2 26.14   25  5.0   2.029   2.378    98   16.1  20:51 (142, 19)  

* 77P/Longmore

Now it is 16.6 mag (Jan. 9, Ken-ichi Kadota). It will be observable at 15 mag in good condition in spring.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  12 39.88   15  0.8   2.028   2.573   112   16.2   3:22 (208, 35)  
Jan. 24  12 42.13   14 40.2   1.930   2.554   118   16.1   3:31 (198, 39)  

* 205P/2008 R6 ( Giacobini )

It had been lost for 112 years sincd 1896, but re-discovered by Koichi Itagaki and Hiroshi Kaneda on Sept. 10. It should be bright temporarily in outburst now. However, it became somewhat brighter in November than October. It still keeps bright as 14.4 mag (Jan. 2, Ken-ichi Kadota). It will be getting lower in the evening sky after this, and will be unobservable in April.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   1  5.51   -4 32.4   1.981   1.999    76   16.5  20:57 (108, 31)  
Jan. 24   1 19.16   -3 15.5   2.092   2.040    73   16.8  20:51 (108, 29)  

* C/2007 U1 ( LINEAR )

It reached up to 14 mag from September to November, and became visible visually. But it is already fading. It has faded down to 16.1 mag (Jan. 1, Ken-ichi Kadota). It will get lower in the evening sky in January.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  23 47.08   11 31.9   3.960   3.661    65   16.8  20:57 (108,  6)  
Jan. 24  23 46.29   11 27.6   4.110   3.689    58   16.9  20:51 (105,  1)  

* C/2008 R3 ( LINEAR )

Now it is 16.1 mag (Dec. 23, Ken-ichi Kadota). It will be fading slowly after this, and will be fainter than 18 mag in March.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  22 44.06   30 39.9   2.216   2.017    65   16.8  20:57 (116,-17)  
Jan. 24  23  6.10   31 23.8   2.281   2.044    63   16.9  20:51 (117,-17)  

* 209P/2008 X2 ( LINEAR )

Now it is 17.9 mag (Dec. 27, J. M. Ruiz). It will brighten rapidly and will be observable at 16 mag in March and April. It moves southwards very fast after early April, and will be unobservable very soon in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  11  2.30   50 52.5   0.672   1.523   132   17.3   3:16 (180,  4)  
Jan. 24  11 21.22   55  5.3   0.605   1.456   131   17.0   3:08 (180,  0)  

* 61P/Shajn-Schaldach

It reached up to 13.7 mag and became visible visually (Nov. 6, Juan Jose Gonzalez). However, it is already fading. It has faded down to 16.0 mag (Dec. 20, Ken-ichi Kadota). It will be fainter than 18 mag in February.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   3 16.20    9 56.8   1.779   2.336   112   17.2  20:57 (151, 40)  
Jan. 24   3 21.82   10 40.8   1.878   2.358   106   17.3  20:51 (147, 38)  

* C/2008 J1 ( Boattini )

Diffuse comet, but it brightened up to 9.8 mag on July 7 (Juan Jose Gonzalez). Now it is fading. It was still visible visually at 14.8 mag on Dec. 20 (Jose Carvajal). In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable until spring when the comet becomes faint. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will never be observable again.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   2 43.35   54  2.2   2.343   2.881   113   17.2  20:57 (163, -3)  
Jan. 24   2 52.23   51 25.3   2.472   2.945   109   17.5  20:51 (160, -1)  

* P/2008 Y3 ( McNaught )

It keeps observable at 17.5 mag until spring. But it locates low in the Northern Hemispere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   8 43.22  -23 41.7   3.694   4.434   134   17.3   0:58 (180, 79)  
Jan. 24   8 38.88  -24 10.1   3.669   4.435   136   17.3   0:27 (180, 79)  

* C/2008 Q1 ( Maticic )

It was observed at 17.5 mag from summer to autumn in 2008. It will be observable again at 17 mag in 2009 spring.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  17 37.59   22 36.5   3.418   2.964    54   17.4   3:22 (255,-19)  
Jan. 24  17 37.89   23  2.7   3.358   2.969    58   17.4   3:31 (250,-12)  

* 2001 TX16

Peculiar asteroid moving along a cometary orbit. It will be observable around 17 mag in good condition for a long time until May. It will fade out very rapidly after May.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  14  1.74   -2 11.8   1.382   1.666    87   17.4   3:22 (241, 38)  
Jan. 24  14 12.58   -2 55.4   1.354   1.702    92   17.4   3:31 (235, 43)  

* 211P/2008 X1 ( Hill )

Now it is 17.4 mag (Dec. 14, Ken-ichi Kadota). It keeps observable in good condition at 17.5-18 mag until March.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   4 53.07    8 56.8   1.676   2.467   134   17.5  21:05 (180, 46)  
Jan. 24   4 51.62   10 13.0   1.726   2.455   127   17.6  20:51 (175, 45)  

* 188P/2007 J7 ( LINEAR-Mueller )

It was observed as bright as 14-15 mag in 2007 autumn. Now it is 18.1 mag (Nov. 21, Ken-ichi Kadota). It keeps observable in good condition for a while. It will be fainter than 18 mag in Feburary.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   7 54.84   34  8.8   2.621   3.585   166   17.6   0:11 (180, 21)  
Jan. 24   7 48.76   34 10.9   2.659   3.612   163   17.6  23:32 (180, 21)  

* C/2008 X3 ( LINEAR )

Now it is 17.4 mag (Dec. 23, Ken-ichi Kadota). It keeps observable at 17.5-18 mag until February. But it is moving southwards, and getting lower in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  12  3.60   -9 45.6   1.678   2.239   111   17.6   3:22 (210, 62)  
Jan. 24  11 53.79  -12 49.9   1.632   2.283   119   17.6   3:31 (186, 68)  

* P/1999 XN120 ( Catalina )

Now it should be brightest. But it has not been recovered yet. It was observed only around the perihelion at the discovery in 1999. If it was bright temporarily in outburst, it can be much fainter than this ephemeris in this apparition. Josef Mueller reported it was 19.2 mag on Dec. 16, 2007, but it was not confirmed. It was not detected, fainter than 19.2 mag on Dec. 20 (James R. Schofer) and fainter than 20.5 mag on Jan. 15 (Leonid Elenin).

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   6  7.03   24 13.6   2.400   3.316   154   17.8  22:18 (180, 31)  
Jan. 24   6  3.39   24  4.2   2.451   3.319   146   17.9  21:47 (180, 31)  

* P/2008 Y2 ( Gibbs )

It will be observable at 18 mag in good condition in February.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  10 11.89   17 25.6   0.721   1.639   147   17.9   2:27 (180, 38)  
Jan. 24  10 11.76   16 26.3   0.694   1.638   154   17.9   1:59 (180, 39)  

* C/2007 S2 ( Lemmon )

It was observed at 18 mag from autumn to winter in 2007. It will be observable again at 18 mag from winter to spring in 2009.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  10 43.83   -5 47.7   4.906   5.600   130   17.9   2:59 (180, 61)  
Jan. 24  10 42.11   -6  0.9   4.835   5.605   137   17.9   2:29 (180, 61)  

* 17P/Holmes

Great outburst occured in 2007 October, and it bacame a naked eye comet of 2 mag. It kept so bright as 5.5 mag still in 2008 spring (Apr. 30, Carlos Labordena), but it was extremely faint and difficult to see. The size was so large, the diameter was larger than 60 arcmin. It will become observable in good condition in this autumn and winter again. The extremely faint large diffuse glow may be detected with a best sky condition, around 5-6 mag with a diameter of 1 or 2 degrees. Mitsunori Tsumura detected a possible glow of Comet Holmes on Nov. 4. Current brightness of the central core is 17.8 mag (Oct. 31, Ken-ichi Kadota), much brighter than pre-outburst brightness still now.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   8 57.45   26 33.0   3.254   4.211   164   18.5   1:13 (180, 28)  
Jan. 24   8 51.47   26 41.6   3.258   4.232   170   18.6   0:39 (180, 28)  

* P/2008 Q2 ( Ory )

It passed near by earth in October. It brightened more rapidly than expected, and it reached up to about 13.7 mag in November and became visible visually (Nov. 24, Marco Goiato). It will fade out rapidly after this. However, it was still visible as 16.8 mag on Jan. 1 (Ken-ichi Kadota).

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17   3 52.83   22 43.9   0.925   1.685   123   19.0  20:57 (166, 31)  
Jan. 24   4  4.27   23 21.6   1.014   1.727   119   19.6  20:51 (164, 30)  

* 173P/2005 T1 ( Mueller 5 )

It was observed bright at 16.5-17 mag from late 2006 to early 2007. However, it is fading after that, although it is getting closer to the sun. It was so faint as 19.4 mag around the perihelion passage in 2008 spring (Mar. 10, Mitsunori Tsumura). This comet was observed so faint around the perihelion passage in the previous apparition at the discovery. It faded out before the perihelion passage again in this apparition.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Jan. 17  11 53.80   19  1.3   3.708   4.339   124   21.6   3:22 (193, 35)  
Jan. 24  11 53.73   19 35.9   3.636   4.346   131   21.6   3:31 (183, 35)  

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