Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2010 Nov. 20: North)

Japanese version
Home page
Updated on November 20, 2010
Last week South Next week

Best time and the azimuth, altitude (A,h) are at lat. 35 deg in the Northern 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 6.2 mag (Nov. 15, 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. 20   7 35.64  -10  5.7   0.229   1.105   114    6.0   3:41 (  0, 45)  
Nov. 27   7 38.81  -13 57.8   0.265   1.136   117    6.4   3:17 (  0, 41)  

* C/2010 V1 ( Ikeya-Murakami )

Bright new comet discovered visually by Kaoru Ikeya and Shigeki Murakami. Now it is 8.7 mag (Nov. 19, Marco Goiato). Its envelope similar to 17P/Holmes is getting diffuse rapidly. 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. 20  13 15.99   -7 23.8   2.458   1.773    37    8.4   5:10 (293, 17)  
Nov. 27  13 33.39   -9 36.1   2.442   1.791    39    8.5   5:16 (297, 19)  

* (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. 20  14 33.84  -20  0.5   0.967   0.267    15   14.4   5:10 (291, -5)  
Nov. 27  16 17.74  -21 42.8   1.133   0.150     1   11.2  18:18 ( 74,-16)  

* 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 11.1 mag (Nov. 12, Marco Goiato). It will be visible visually until December.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 20   1  7.64  -14 36.7   1.193   1.972   129   12.9  21:10 (  0, 41)  
Nov. 27   1  9.56  -13  4.8   1.289   2.015   124   13.2  20:45 (  0, 42)  

* 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. 20  14 48.31  -12 16.3   2.539   1.601    14   13.1   5:10 (283, -3)  
Nov. 27  15  8.65  -14  9.2   2.504   1.580    16   13.0   5:16 (286, -2)  

* 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 11.3 mag (Nov. 13, Jakub Cerny). 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. 20   6 29.10   50 20.2   2.252   3.029   134   13.3   2:36 (180, 75)  
Nov. 27   6  7.36   49 23.2   2.253   3.101   143   13.5   1:47 (180, 76)  

* 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. 20  21 57.35  -33 25.4   4.907   4.881    82   13.5  18:20 (  4, 22)  
Nov. 27  21 55.84  -32 31.2   4.959   4.817    76   13.5  18:18 ( 11, 22)  

* 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. 20  18 55.41   58  9.1   2.481   2.630    87   14.0  18:20 (141, 50)  
Nov. 27  19 22.12   54 36.7   2.485   2.610    86   13.9  18:18 (135, 51)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

Now it is 15.8 mag (Nov. 18, Toshiyuki Takahashi). It is too faint to see visually.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 20  11  9.32    1  0.4   6.516   6.239    69   14.0   5:10 (313, 45)  
Nov. 27  11 11.77    0 36.3   6.407   6.240    75   14.0   5:16 (323, 49)  

* 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. 20  17 30.67  -47 39.8   6.305   5.535    35   14.5  18:20 ( 41,-14)  
Nov. 27  17 34.72  -47 53.5   6.397   5.583    31   14.6  18:18 ( 43,-17)  

* C/2010 B1 ( Cardinal )

Now it is 13.8 mag and visible visually (Nov. 13, Juan Jose Gonzalez). 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. 20   7 20.17    9  7.9   2.358   3.046   126   14.7   3:26 (  0, 64)  
Nov. 27   7  9.32    6 31.6   2.256   3.029   134   14.6   2:48 (  0, 62)  

* 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. 20  12  6.49  -14 44.9   2.485   2.018    51   14.7   5:10 (311, 24)  
Nov. 27  12 17.77  -16 20.3   2.469   2.066    54   14.8   5:16 (317, 26)  

* 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. 20  21 20.34  -26 13.5   2.946   2.892    77   14.7  18:20 ( 14, 27)  
Nov. 27  21 28.85  -25 17.4   3.056   2.912    72   14.8  18:18 ( 19, 27)  

* 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. 20  15 14.04  -53  9.0   7.004   6.209    33   15.2   5:10 (317,-29)  
Nov. 27  15 20.19  -53 57.8   6.976   6.185    34   15.1   5:16 (320,-25)  

* 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. 20  20  8.34   -6 36.8   6.737   6.401    66   15.2  18:20 ( 42, 39)  
Nov. 27  20  8.36   -6 50.2   6.820   6.371    59   15.2  18:18 ( 49, 35)  

* 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. 20  18 39.13   32 27.3   4.819   4.530    67   15.5  18:20 (103, 45)  
Nov. 27  18 48.45   32 10.9   4.859   4.536    65   15.5  18:18 (104, 42)  

* 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. 20  11 18.41  -63 30.8   3.178   2.846    61   15.6   5:10 (346,-12)  
Nov. 27  11  8.14  -64 58.5   3.125   2.850    64   15.6   5:16 (351,-12)  

* 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. 20   6 59.28   28 55.3   1.348   2.156   134   15.7   3:05 (  0, 84)  
Nov. 27   6 58.58   30 52.1   1.307   2.166   141   15.7   2:37 (  0, 86)  

* 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. 20  10 22.31    8 40.9   3.494   3.517    83   16.1   5:10 (322, 58)  
Nov. 27  10 26.53    8 10.3   3.406   3.532    89   16.0   5:16 (335, 61)  

* 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. 20   4 12.70  -79 57.0   2.761   2.772    80   16.1   0:23 (  0,-25)  
Nov. 27   2 37.91  -78 42.1   2.791   2.785    79   16.2  22:06 (  0,-23)  

* 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. It locates extremely low in the Northern Hemisphere. It will not be observable in January.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 20   2 46.10  -44 38.4   1.089   1.748   114   16.7  22:43 (  0, 10)  
Nov. 27   1 42.19  -45 29.0   1.166   1.717   105   16.9  21:13 (  0, 10)  

* 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. 20   1 16.58   17 42.1   7.272   8.109   145   16.9  21:19 (  0, 73)  
Nov. 27   1 11.86   17 16.0   7.344   8.103   137   16.9  20:46 (  0, 72)  

* 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. 20   8 46.04  -14 38.3   3.673   3.926    97   17.3   4:51 (  0, 40)  
Nov. 27   8 37.59  -15 38.6   3.549   3.920   104   17.2   4:15 (  0, 39)  

* 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. 20   2 29.00   61 30.3   7.831   8.572   136   17.3  22:31 (180, 63)  
Nov. 27   2 19.58   61 10.4   7.808   8.539   135   17.3  21:54 (180, 64)  

* 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. 20   5 41.26   34 51.4   1.822   2.718   149   17.6   1:47 (  0, 90)  
Nov. 27   5 36.20   35 42.3   1.757   2.689   156   17.4   1:15 (180, 89)  

* 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. 20  12  0.52   35  8.5   9.284   9.088    75   17.5   5:10 (257, 54)  
Nov. 27  12  0.72   35 27.0   9.214   9.123    81   17.6   5:16 (259, 61)  

* 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. 20   9 20.06   23 30.7   1.829   2.255   102   17.6   5:10 (344, 78)  
Nov. 27   9 23.11   22 32.1   1.779   2.289   108   17.6   5:01 (  0, 78)  

* 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. 20   8 23.22  -18 50.3   6.245   6.502   100   17.6   4:28 (  0, 36)  
Nov. 27   8 20.74  -18 50.3   6.146   6.500   106   17.6   3:58 (  0, 36)  

* 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. 20  10 39.00   10 42.9   3.459   3.431    80   17.9   5:10 (313, 58)  
Nov. 27  10 44.35   10 20.4   3.360   3.433    85   17.8   5:16 (325, 61)  

* 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. 20   1 38.01   30 56.3   1.648   2.553   150   17.9  21:40 (  0, 86)  
Nov. 27   1 34.51   30 45.8   1.691   2.555   143   17.9  21:09 (  0, 86)  

* 236P/2010 K1 ( LINEAR )

Now it is 17.3 mag (Oct. 2, Toru Yusa). It will be fainter than 18 mag soon. Jean-Francois Soulier, et al., reported possible fragmentation was detected from late October to mid November.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Nov. 20   1  3.74   21 22.3   1.058   1.943   143   18.0  21:07 (  0, 76)  
Nov. 27   1  8.34   19 40.7   1.120   1.964   137   18.2  20:44 (  0, 75)  

* 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. 20  20 52.19  -31 36.9   2.586   2.431    69   20.2  18:20 ( 19, 21)  
Nov. 27  21  2.35  -30 44.5   2.627   2.390    65   20.2  18:18 ( 23, 20)  

* 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 14 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. 20  12  7.61  -68 38.9   2.998   2.626    58   26.0   5:10 (344,-19)  
Nov. 27  12 19.97  -71 30.8   3.077   2.722    60   27.0   5:16 (347,-20)  

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

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