Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2010 Nov. 13: South)

Japanese version
Home page
Updated on November 14, 2010
Last week North Next week

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.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

* 103P/Hartley 2

It approached to the earth down to 0.12 A.U. and brightened up to 4.6 mag in October (Oct. 18, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It was very large, double of the full moon, and very bright, visible with naked eyes. Now it is fading, but still bright as 5.9 mag (Nov. 8, Marco Goiato). After this, it keeps observable for a long time until 2011 June when it fades down to 17 mag.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   7 27.50   -4 17.2   0.194   1.081   113    5.7   3:11 (203, 57)  
Nov. 20   7 35.64  -10  5.7   0.229   1.105   114    6.0   3:04 (201, 64)  

* C/2010 V1 ( Ikeya-Murakami )

Bright new comet discovered visually as bright as 8.5-9 mag by Kaoru Ikeya and Shigeki Murakami. It looks similar to 17P/Holmes. So it seems to be soon after an outburst. It will become diffuse after this. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable for a long time after this in the morning low sky. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will be getting higher after this, and will be observable in mid December.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  12 58.38   -5  6.7   2.476   1.759    34    8.4   3:11 (277, -1)  
Nov. 20  13 15.99   -7 23.8   2.458   1.773    37    8.4   3:04 (279,  1)  

* 10P/Tempel 2

It has kept bright as 8.5 mag since July until September. Now it is fading, but it is still bright as 10.9 mag (Nov. 7, Marco Goiato). It will be visible visually until December.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   1  7.00  -16  3.4   1.104   1.930   134   12.6  21:37 (180, 71)  
Nov. 20   1  7.64  -14 36.7   1.193   1.972   129   12.9  21:10 (180, 69)  

* 9P/Tempel 1

The condition in this apparition is bad. It keeps unobservable for a while. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will appear in the morning sky at 12.5 mag in February, then it keeps observable while fading gradually. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is not observable until when it fades down to 15 mag.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  14 28.60  -10 19.1   2.575   1.625    12   13.3   3:11 (295,-16)  
Nov. 20  14 48.31  -12 16.3   2.539   1.601    14   13.1   3:04 (296,-14)  

* C/2009 K5 ( McNaught )

It brightened up to 7.9 mag in April and May (May 5, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Now it is fading. But it is still bright as 12.9 mag (Nov. 5, Yasukazu Ikari). It keeps observable for a long time until when it fades out in the Northern Hemisphere. It is not observable in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   6 49.96   50 55.1   2.268   2.958   125   13.2   3:11 (182,  4)  
Nov. 20   6 29.10   50 20.2   2.252   3.029   134   13.3   2:36 (180,  5)  

* C/2009 P1 ( Garradd )

Already bright as 12.3 mag (Nov. 7, Marco Goiato). It is expected to keep so bright as 6-8 mag for a long time from 2011 to 2012, and to be observable in good condition in the Northern Hemisphere. In 2010, it is observable in good condition in the Southern Hemisphere while brightening slowly. It locates low in the Northern Hemisphere, but it keeps observable until the end of 2010.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  21 59.72  -34 17.5   4.853   4.944    89   13.6  20:18 ( 84, 68)  
Nov. 20  21 57.35  -33 25.4   4.907   4.881    82   13.5  20:27 ( 82, 60)  

* C/2009 Y1 ( Catalina )

Now it is 13.2 mag, much brighter than originally expected and visible visually (Nov. 6, Seiichi Yoshida). In the Northern Hemisphere, it will be observable at 13-14 ag in good condition from autumn to winter. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will be unobservable until 2011 spring.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  18 24.99   61 30.7   2.494   2.653    88   14.0  20:18 (148,-26)  
Nov. 20  18 55.41   58  9.1   2.481   2.630    87   14.0  20:27 (144,-25)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Now it is 15.5 mag (Nov. 5, Toshiyuki Takahashi). It is too faint to see visually.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  11  6.51    1 26.3   6.620   6.238    63   14.1   3:11 (255, 18)  
Nov. 20  11  9.32    1  0.4   6.516   6.239    69   14.0   3:04 (253, 21)  

* C/2006 W3 ( Christensen )

It reached up to 7.7 mag in last summer (2009 Aug. 13, Chris Wyatt). It is fading now. It has already faded down to 13.2 mag (Sept. 6, Chris Wyatt). In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable for a long time after this. But it becomes very low in winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will never be observable again.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  17 26.86  -47 28.4   6.202   5.487    40   14.4  20:18 ( 47, 22)  
Nov. 20  17 30.67  -47 39.8   6.305   5.535    35   14.5  20:27 ( 43, 17)  

* (3200) Phaethon

Now it is 16.4 mag (Oct. 20, M. Jaeger, E. Prosperi, W. Vollmann). It will pass the perihelion on Nov. 25. In the Northern Hemisphere, it becomes unobservable in mid November, but it will be observable again after mid December while fading from 16 mag. It will not be observable in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  13 17.37  -13 16.6   0.833   0.464    27   15.6   3:11 (286,  0)  
Nov. 20  14 33.84  -20  0.5   0.967   0.267    15   14.4   3:04 (300, -6)  

* 43P/Wolf-Harrington

Now it is 13.6 mag (Nov. 4, Yasukazu Ikari). It keeps observable after this while fading gradually.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  11 54.58  -13  5.2   2.497   1.970    47   14.5   3:11 (275, 16)  
Nov. 20  12  6.49  -14 44.9   2.485   2.018    51   14.7   3:04 (275, 19)  

* 65P/Gunn

It brightened up to 11.5 mag in July (July 18, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Now it is 13.6 mag (Oct. 26, Marco Goiato). Fading slowly. It will keep 14 mag until the end of 2010. It is observable in excellent condition in the Southern Hemisphere. It locates somewhat low in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  21 12.24  -27  7.6   2.835   2.872    82   14.6  20:18 ( 93, 56)  
Nov. 20  21 20.34  -26 13.5   2.946   2.892    77   14.7  20:27 ( 90, 50)  

* C/2010 B1 ( Cardinal )

Now it is 14.3 mag and visible visually (Nov. 6, Seiichi Yoshida). It keeps observable at 14-15 mag in good condition from autumn to next spring.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   7 29.14   11 34.1   2.477   3.065   117   14.8   3:11 (197, 42)  
Nov. 20   7 20.17    9  7.9   2.358   3.046   126   14.7   3:04 (188, 45)  

* C/2009 F4 ( McNaught )

Now it is 14.8 mag (June 23, Hidetaka Sato). It keeps bright as 14-15 mag for a long time after this until 2013. It is not observable in the Northern Hemisphere. It will be low temporarily in November in the Southern Hemisphere. It must be bright, however, no observations have been reported since early July.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  15  8.06  -52 23.3   7.023   6.233    34   15.2   3:11 (331,  9)  
Nov. 20  15 14.04  -53  9.0   7.004   6.209    33   15.2   3:04 (330, 11)  

* C/2006 S3 ( LONEOS )

Now it is 14.5 mag and visible visually (Sept. 30, Alan Hale). It will be observable at 13-14 mag for a long time from 2011 to 2012. It will be getting lower gradually in the evening sky after this. It will be unobservable in November in the Southern Hemisphere, or in December in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  20  8.77   -6 20.7   6.648   6.431    73   15.2  20:18 (106, 32)  
Nov. 20  20  8.34   -6 36.8   6.737   6.401    66   15.2  20:27 (100, 25)  

* C/2008 FK75 ( Lemmon-Siding Spring )

Now it is 14.8 mag and visible visually (Oct. 11, Sandor Szabo). It will be fading very slowly after this. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable for a long time until 2012 spring when it fades down to 17-18 mag.In the Southern Hemisphere, it will never be observable after this.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  18 30.14   32 48.3   4.779   4.526    69   15.5  20:18 (123,-11)  
Nov. 20  18 39.13   32 27.3   4.819   4.530    67   15.5  20:27 (119,-15)  

* C/2010 FB87 ( WISE-Garradd )

Now it is 14.5 mag (Nov. 8, K. Hills), much brighter than originally expected. It keeps 16 mag until 2011 spring. It keeps observable in good condition in the Southern Hemisphere. But in the Northern Hemisphere, it locates very low in 2011 spring only.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  11 25.57  -62  6.9   3.225   2.843    58   15.6   3:11 (325, 39)  
Nov. 20  11 18.41  -63 30.8   3.178   2.846    61   15.6   3:04 (327, 42)  

* 240P/2010 P1 ( NEAT )

Now it is 14.5 mag (Nov. 5, Yasukazu Ikari). It is observable at 15 mag in good condition from autumn to winter. It locates somewhat low in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   6 58.15   27  6.1   1.398   2.147   127   15.7   3:11 (185, 28)  
Nov. 20   6 59.28   28 55.3   1.348   2.156   134   15.7   3:04 (180, 26)  

* 203P/2008 R4 ( Korlevic )

Now it is 17.2 mag (Oct. 6, Ken-ichi Kadota). It was observed at 16 mag from late 2009 to early 2010. It has already passed the perihelion, however, it tends to be brightest after the perihelion passage. It will be observable at 16 mag again in good condition from late 2010 to early 2011.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  10 17.41    9 14.8   3.581   3.502    77   16.1   3:11 (241, 22)  
Nov. 20  10 22.31    8 40.9   3.494   3.517    83   16.1   3:04 (238, 25)  

* C/2010 A4 ( Siding Spring )

Now it is 16.5 mag (Oct. 5, Hidetaka Sato). It keeps 16 mag until the end of 2010. It keeps observable in good condition in the Southern Hemisphere. But it is not observable at all in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   5 51.20  -79  0.4   2.743   2.762    80   16.1   2:26 (  0, 46)  
Nov. 20   4 12.70  -79 57.0   2.761   2.772    80   16.1   0:23 (  0, 45)  

* 2009 YS6

Peculiar asteroid moving along a comet-like retrograde orbit. Now it is 16.9 mag (Nov. 5, Hidetaka Sato). It brightens up to 16.5 mag in November. It is observable in excellent condition in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will become lower rapidly, and will locate extremely low in November.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   3 51.77  -40 41.7   1.062   1.784   120   16.6   0:28 (  0, 85)  
Nov. 20   2 46.10  -44 38.4   1.089   1.748   114   16.7  22:43 (  0, 80)  

* C/2008 S3 ( Boattini )

Now it is 16.9 mag (Oct. 9, Catalina Sky Survey). It keeps 17 mag for a long time from 2009 to 2012. It is observable in good condition in the Northern Hemisphere. It locates somewhat low in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   1 21.69   18  8.8   7.215   8.115   153   16.9  21:51 (180, 37)  
Nov. 20   1 16.58   17 42.1   7.272   8.109   145   16.9  21:19 (180, 37)  

* C/2009 K3 ( Beshore )

It was observed only during 3 days in 2009 May, then it has been lost. The ephemeris says that it passes the perihelion in 2011 January and it will be observable at 17 mag. But actually, it will not be found.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   8 53.03  -13 36.0   3.804   3.933    90   17.3   3:11 (244, 53)  
Nov. 20   8 46.04  -14 38.3   3.673   3.926    97   17.3   3:04 (237, 58)  

* C/2010 S1 ( LINEAR )

Now it is 17.3 mag (Oct. 6, Hidetaka Sato). It is expected to be 15 mag and will be observable in good condition in 2013. It is observable in good condition in the Northern Hemisphere, but not observable in the Southern Hemisphere now.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   2 38.78   61 43.3   7.868   8.604   135   17.3  23:08 (180, -7)  
Nov. 20   2 29.00   61 30.3   7.831   8.572   136   17.3  22:31 (180, -7)  

* 241P/2010 P2 ( LINEAR )

Now it is 17.5 mag (Nov. 8, C. Rinner, F. Kugel). It has already passed the perihelion, however, it tends to be brightest after the perihelion passage. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will be observable at 17.5 mag in good condition until the end of 2010. It locates extremely low in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   9 15.42   24 32.6   1.881   2.222    96   17.5   3:11 (218, 20)  
Nov. 20   9 20.06   23 30.7   1.829   2.255   102   17.6   3:04 (215, 23)  

* C/2005 L3 ( McNaught )

It had been bright as 13-14 mag for a long time from 2007 to 2009. Now it is fading. It keeps observable at 17.5 mag in good condition until next spring.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  11 59.98   34 53.4   9.350   9.053    69   17.5   3:11 (236,-13)  
Nov. 20  12  0.52   35  8.5   9.284   9.088    75   17.5   3:04 (233, -9)  

* 123P/West-Hartley

Now it is 18.0 mag (Oct. 21, M. Jaeger, E. Prosperi, W. Vollmann). In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition until 2011 spring when it brightens up to 16 mag. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps locating low.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   5 44.88   33 58.9   1.898   2.748   142   17.8   2:18 (180, 21)  
Nov. 20   5 41.26   34 51.4   1.822   2.718   149   17.6   1:47 (180, 20)  

* 2008 YB3

Large Centaur-type asteroid. It keeps observable at 17-18 mag for a long time until 2013.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   8 25.11  -18 46.8   6.347   6.505    94   17.7   3:11 (243, 61)  
Nov. 20   8 23.22  -18 50.3   6.245   6.502   100   17.6   3:04 (235, 65)  

* P/2010 U2 ( Hill )

Now it is 17.6 mag (Oct. 18, L. Buzzi, S. Foglia), but it will be fainter than 18 mag soon.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   1 42.79   31  3.0   1.617   2.553   155   17.8  22:12 (180, 24)  
Nov. 20   1 38.01   30 56.3   1.648   2.553   150   17.9  21:40 (180, 24)  

* 236P/2010 K1 ( LINEAR )

Now it is 17.3 mag (Oct. 2, Toru Yusa). It will be fainter than 18 mag soon.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13   1  0.39   23 17.0   1.006   1.923   148   17.9  21:31 (180, 32)  
Nov. 20   1  3.74   21 22.3   1.058   1.943   143   18.0  21:07 (180, 34)  

* 31P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 2

It was observed at 18 mag in winter between 2009 and 2010. It will be observable again at 17.5 mag in good condition from winter to spring in 2011.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  10 33.07   11  8.9   3.557   3.429    74   18.0   3:11 (242, 18)  
Nov. 20  10 39.00   10 42.9   3.459   3.431    80   17.9   3:04 (240, 21)  

* 164P/Christensen

It was expected to be bright as 17-18 mag. But actually, it is so faint as 20.3 mag (Oct. 11, Giovanni Sostero and Ermesto Guido). However, it was observed as bright as 17 mag in 1998 and 2005. So it will brighten after the perihelion passage, and will be bright up to 17 mag in 2011-2012 season also in this apparition. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will be observable in good condition while fading gradually after 2011 summer. It is not observable after the perihelion passage in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  20 42.86  -32 24.8   2.541   2.471    74   20.2  20:18 ( 81, 52)  
Nov. 20  20 52.19  -31 36.9   2.586   2.431    69   20.2  20:27 ( 79, 46)  

* C/2009 R1 ( McNaught )

Paul Camilleri reported that it was not visible, fainter than 14-15 mag, on Sept. 29. Hidetaka Sato reported that it was not visible on Oct. 8, the nuclear magnitude must be fainter than 18 mag. It was expected to be bright as 13 mag still now, but actually, it seems to have been already disintegrated. Hirohisa Sato reported that it kept visible in the SWAN images until Sept. 6.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 13  11 55.55  -65 40.7   2.918   2.529    57   25.0   3:11 (330, 36)  
Nov. 20  12  7.61  -68 38.9   2.998   2.626    58   26.0   3:04 (334, 37)  

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright(C) Seiichi Yoshida (comet@aerith.net). All rights reserved.