Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2011 July 2: South)

Japanese version Home page	Updated on July 22, 2011
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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.

C/2009 P1 ( Garradd ) Now it is 8.7 mag (July 1, Juan Jose Gonzalez). 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 the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition until October when it brightens up to 6.5 mag. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 22 42.70 2 52.5 2.141 2.742 115 9.0 4:05 (180, 52) July 9 22 32.75 4 51.1 1.974 2.674 123 8.7 3:28 (180, 50) 27P/Crommelin It has returned after 27-year blank since 1984. Brightening very rapidly. Now it is very bright as 10.3 mag (July 1, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It will approach to the sun down to 0.75 A.U. and brighten up to 10.5 mag in July and August. However, the condition of this apparition is bad. It locates extremely low, and only observable until mid July in the Northern Hemisphere. It locates extremely low and hard to observe in the Southern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 4 17.70 32 51.3 1.640 0.965 33 12.8 5:38 (227, 2) July 9 5 0.38 31 17.2 1.607 0.891 30 12.0 5:37 (230, 0) 62P/Tsuchinshan 1 It will be 12-13 mag in June and July. However, it is not observable at all due to the bad condition in this apparition. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 7 37.93 24 32.2 2.356 1.384 12 12.6 18:29 (114, -8) July 9 8 3.66 23 52.5 2.364 1.387 12 12.6 18:32 (113, -9) C/2010 X1 ( Elenin ) It will approach to the sun down to 0.5 A.U. in September, and it is expected to brighten up to 6 mag. Now it is 11.0 mag, brightening rapidly (June 29, Tsutomu Seki). In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable until early September when it becomes 7 mag. In the Northern Hemisphere, it becomes unobservable in August. But after appearing in the morning sky in October, it becomes observable in the excellent condition at midnight. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 10 44.39 6 37.9 1.766 1.542 60 13.1 18:29 (133, 36) July 9 10 51.85 5 53.6 1.726 1.427 55 12.7 18:32 (127, 33) C/2011 M1 ( LINEAR ) New comet. Very bright and visible visually as 12.8 mag (July 1, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It will brighten up to 11.5 mag in summer and autumn. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable until winter, although it becomes very low from mid August to late September. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is not observable until November. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 0 55.73 49 49.5 1.455 1.469 70 13.5 5:38 (186, 5) July 9 1 27.31 57 24.4 1.368 1.382 69 13.1 5:37 (186, -3) C/2010 G2 ( Hill ) Now it is 12.4 mag and visible visually (June 29, Jakub Koukal). It will brighten up to 11-12 mag in autumn. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable for a long time until 2012 spring, although it becomes low temporarily in July. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is not observable until November. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 7 29.07 69 35.3 2.675 2.117 47 13.2 18:29 (156,-31) July 9 7 35.52 67 24.8 2.678 2.089 45 13.1 18:32 (153,-32) 213P/2009 B3 ( Van Ness ) First return of a new periodic comet which brightened up to 13 mag in a major outburst in 2005. Now it is very bright as 11.9 mag and visible visually (June 26, Chris Wyatt). It will be observable in an excellent condition from summer to winter. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 23 13.02 -2 35.2 1.532 2.126 111 13.3 4:35 (180, 58) July 9 23 16.93 -1 20.6 1.469 2.129 116 13.2 4:11 (180, 56) C/2009 F4 ( McNaught ) Now it is bright and visible visually at 13.1 mag (June 6, Chris Wyatt). It keeps bright as 13-14 mag for a long time after this until 2013. It is not observable in the Northern Hemisphere, but it is observable in good condition in the Southern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 10 54.22 -77 41.3 5.234 5.618 107 13.5 18:29 ( 10, 45) July 9 10 52.11 -76 53.2 5.262 5.606 104 13.5 18:32 ( 12, 44) C/2011 L3 ( McNaught ) New comet. Very bright and visible visually as 13.1 mag (July 1, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It will be observable at 13 mag in good condition in summer. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable at 14-15 mag in good condition until autumn. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will become low after August. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 21 59.95 0 59.7 1.207 1.985 126 13.9 3:23 (180, 54) July 9 21 39.17 6 36.7 1.122 1.965 133 13.7 2:35 (180, 49) C/2006 S3 ( LONEOS ) Now it is 13.4 mag and visible visually (June 24, Jakub Koukal). It will be observable at 13-14 mag for a long time from 2011 to 2012. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 19 28.82 -5 30.7 4.615 5.577 159 13.9 0:52 (180, 60) July 9 19 19.61 -5 50.3 4.576 5.557 163 13.9 0:15 (180, 61) 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 Now it is bright as 12.5 mag and visible visually (June 23, Chris Wyatt). It is getting lower in the evening sky. It will be unobservable in early July in the Northern Hemisphere, or in mid August in the Southern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 10 54.48 0 41.8 6.617 6.258 65 14.1 18:29 (131, 42) July 9 10 57.76 0 23.6 6.715 6.258 59 14.1 18:32 (124, 38) (596) Scheila Big asteroid discovered in 1906. It suddenly showed the cometary activity on Dec. 11, probably due to an impact of a small object. It was very bright as 11.5 mag visually (Dec. 17, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It had a dust coma still on Jan. 9 (Joseph Brimacombe). Now it is stellar at 13.8 mag (Apr. 5, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It is getting lower in the evening sky, and will be unobservable in August. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 10 20.84 23 23.6 3.324 2.781 49 14.6 18:29 (139, 19) July 9 10 30.61 22 11.6 3.378 2.770 45 14.6 18:32 (135, 17) 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 Now it is 15.2 mag (June 24, Hidetaka Sato). It brightens up to 12 mag in autumn. But the condition is bad. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is already low, and it will be unobservable in August. After the perihelion passage, it is only observable from December to February in the evening very low sky. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable for a long time, although it keeps locating extremely low. The component B was not detected, fainter than 20 mag (May 14, Hidetaka Sato). Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 10 9.72 20 26.8 2.204 1.702 48 15.2 18:29 (135, 20) July 9 10 23.10 18 47.9 2.189 1.636 44 14.9 18:32 (131, 19) 174P/(60558) 2000 EC98 ( Echeclus ) It has brightened in outburst up to 14 mag in 2006 January. Another outburst occured in late May, and brightened up to 14.3 mag (June 4, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It is still bright as 14.5 mag (June 27, Jakub Koukal). Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 16 6.23 -16 9.8 7.602 8.434 142 15.0 21:25 (180, 71) July 9 16 4.67 -16 7.7 7.656 8.415 135 15.1 20:56 (180, 71) C/2009 Y1 ( Catalina ) Now it is fading slowly, but still bright as 13.8 mag (July 1, Hidetaka Sato). It will keep 14-15 mag until mid September. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 23 56.55 5 37.7 2.688 3.005 98 15.0 5:19 (180, 49) July 9 23 53.95 3 34.2 2.600 3.045 106 15.0 4:48 (180, 51) 78P/Gehrels 2 Already bright as 15.6 mag (June 26, Tzec Maun Observatory). It will be observable in good condition at 12 mag in autumn and winter. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 23 40.68 4 43.2 2.108 2.526 102 15.6 5:03 (180, 50) July 9 23 46.35 5 27.9 1.999 2.495 107 15.3 4:41 (180, 49) C/2011 A3 ( Gibbs ) Now it is 15.3 mag (June 28, Jakub Cerny). It keeps 15 mag from 2011 summer to 2012 summer. But it is not observable around the perihelion. It is observable in good condition in the Northern Hemisphere in 2011, and in the Southern Hemisphere in 2012. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 13 16.37 21 56.5 2.816 2.976 88 15.5 18:36 (180, 33) July 9 13 20.80 20 38.2 2.849 2.931 84 15.4 18:32 (175, 34) 48P/Johnson It brightened rapidly and reached up to 15.4 mag now (June 30, P. Dupouy). It will be observable at 15 mag in good condition from July to October. It locates somewhat low in the Northern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 20 42.20 -17 52.9 1.438 2.381 151 15.6 2:05 (180, 73) July 9 20 39.95 -18 55.0 1.392 2.369 158 15.4 1:35 (180, 74) C/2011 C1 ( McNaught ) It approached to the sun down to 0.88 A.U. in mid April, and it brightened up to 8.6 mag (Apr. 13, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Now it is fading. It has already faded down to 14.8 mag by CCD observations (June 20, Hidetaka Sato). However, it is still very bright visually as 11.3 mag (June 28, Jakub Koukal). It will get diffuse and fade out rapidly after this. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 2 9.14 16 41.3 1.710 1.559 63 15.5 5:38 (212, 32) July 9 2 19.86 16 43.9 1.731 1.648 68 16.2 5:37 (208, 33) C/2010 M1 ( Gibbs ) It is expected to keep 14-15 mag for a long time from 2011 summer to 2012 summer. The condition is good in the Southern Hemisphere, and it keeps observable for a long time. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is observable in the low sky in 2011 spring. But after that, it is not observable until 2012 August. However, this comet was observed only during two days in 2010 June. So the orbital elements are extremely uncertain. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 17 3.48 -47 3.6 2.419 3.332 148 15.6 22:22 ( 0, 78) July 9 16 48.35 -48 13.4 2.421 3.280 141 15.6 21:39 ( 0, 77) C/2010 S1 ( LINEAR ) Brightening rapidly. Now it is 15.4 mag (June 25, Tzec Maun Observatory, Mayhill). It was observed as bright as 14.0 mag visually (June 27, Jakub Koukal). It is expected to be 13 mag and will be observable in good condition in 2013. In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable for a long time after this. It is not observable in the Southern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 2 6.97 59 14.5 8.046 7.581 59 15.7 5:38 (194, -7) July 9 2 6.40 59 57.9 7.945 7.552 63 15.7 5:37 (190, -7) 9P/Tempel 1 Now it is 15.5 mag (July 1, Hidetaka Sato). It will be fading gradually, and will be fainter than 18 mag in September. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 0 22.01 -11 39.1 1.785 2.189 99 15.8 5:38 (184, 67) July 9 0 26.65 -11 47.7 1.745 2.230 104 15.9 5:21 (180, 67) C/2010 B1 ( Cardinal ) It reached up to 14 mag in 2010 autumn and winter. Now it is fading. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition while fading gradually. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will never be observable again. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 5 38.36 -29 19.1 3.757 3.275 54 15.9 5:38 (290, 23) July 9 5 44.62 -31 5.8 3.740 3.305 57 16.0 5:37 (290, 28) C/2008 FK75 ( Lemmon-Siding Spring ) Now it is 15.9 mag (June 27, P. Dupouy). 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. It will not be observable in the Southern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 22 56.74 51 17.1 4.973 5.025 87 16.0 4:19 (180, 4) July 9 22 57.44 51 52.4 4.933 5.050 90 16.0 3:52 (180, 3) 130P/McNaught-Hughes Now it is 15.0 mag (June 26, Tzec Maun Observatory). Brighter than originally predicted. It will be observable at 15-16 mag in good condition from summer to autumn. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 23 7.21 -14 10.9 1.431 2.099 117 16.1 4:29 (180, 69) July 9 23 12.87 -14 21.1 1.373 2.101 122 16.0 4:07 (180, 69) 115P/Maury Now it is 15.8 mag (June 2, J. F. Soulier and A. Novichonok). It will brighten up to 16 mag from summer to autumn, and will be observable in good condition. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 16 10.00 -1 28.5 1.341 2.199 137 16.3 21:29 (180, 57) July 9 16 9.19 -1 54.5 1.367 2.177 131 16.2 21:01 (180, 57) 65P/Gunn It became bright as 12 mag in 2010. Now it is fading. It has already faded down to 17.6 mag (June 30, Hidetaka Sato). Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 1 58.91 3 29.7 3.766 3.566 70 16.3 5:38 (217, 45) July 9 2 4.03 3 50.5 3.690 3.587 76 16.3 5:37 (210, 47) C/2006 W3 ( Christensen ) It reached up to 7.7 mag in 2009 summer (2009 Aug. 13, Chris Wyatt). Now it is fading. It has already faded down to 15.3 mag (June 29, Hidetaka Sato). It will never be observable again in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable in good condition until 2011 autumn when it becomes fainter than 18 mag. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 16 0.59 -64 37.3 6.365 7.072 130 16.4 21:20 ( 0, 60) July 9 15 50.58 -64 7.2 6.461 7.120 127 16.5 20:42 ( 0, 61) 71P/Clark Now it is 17.1 mag (June 24, J. F. Hernandez). It will brighten up to 13 mag in next winter. But the condition of this apparition is bad, and it will not be observable around the perihelion passage. It will be observable until July when it brightens up to 16 mag in the Northern Hemisphere, or until September when it brightens up to 15 mag in the Southern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 11 8.17 12 47.9 2.426 2.175 63 16.5 18:29 (144, 34) July 9 11 17.96 11 19.7 2.459 2.136 59 16.4 18:32 (137, 33) C/2011 F1 ( LINEAR ) It is expected to be bright as 9 mag from 2012 to 2013. Now it is 16.7 mag (June 19, Toshiyuki Takahashi). In the Northern Hemisphere, although it becomes low temporarily in 2011 autumn, it keeps observable in good condition for a long time until 2012 autumn when the comet brightens up to 10 mag. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is hardly observble before the perihelion passage. But it becomes observable in good condition since 2013 after the perihelion passage. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 11 40.07 58 54.3 6.536 6.133 62 16.5 18:29 (169, -6) July 9 11 44.18 57 56.1 6.524 6.075 59 16.4 18:32 (165, -6) C/2011 L2 ( McNaught ) New comet. Now it is 17.6 mag (June 29, Hidetaka Sato). In the Southern Hemisphere, it keeps observable at 16-17 mag for a long time from summer to winter. It is not observable in the Northern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 22 42.92 -44 52.9 1.691 2.441 126 17.0 4:05 ( 0, 80) July 9 22 39.92 -51 0.1 1.602 2.392 130 16.8 3:35 ( 0, 74) 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh Now it is 16.5 mag (July 2, J. F. Hernandez). It was observed around 16 mag in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, it keeps observable at 17 mag from spring to autumn. It locates somewhat low in the Northern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 17 2.88 -23 35.3 3.212 4.169 157 16.9 22:22 (180, 79) July 9 16 59.19 -23 36.5 3.267 4.177 149 17.0 21:51 (180, 79) C/2008 S3 ( Boattini ) Now it is 17.3 mag (June 26, Hidetaka Sato). It keeps observable at 17 mag for a long time from 2011 to 2012. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 1 4.02 18 53.2 8.172 8.019 77 17.1 5:38 (194, 35) July 9 1 2.49 19 1.5 8.050 8.020 84 17.1 5:37 (186, 36) 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova Now it is 17.5 mag (July 5, Hidetaka Sato). It will approach to the earth down to 0.06 A.U. and brighten up to 7-8 mag in mid August. It will brighten rapidly after this. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is observable until early August when it brightens up to 10 mag. Then it goes away to the southern sky and becomes unobservable temporarily But it appears in the morning sky again at 7 mag in mid September, then it keeps observable while fading gradually. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is observable until mid August when it brightens up to 8 mag. But after that, it is not observable until winter when it becomes fainter than 16 mag. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 21 35.79 -19 0.7 0.703 1.617 139 18.2 2:58 (180, 74) July 9 21 41.08 -19 46.8 0.579 1.528 144 17.2 2:36 (180, 75) 49P/Arend-Rigaux Appearing in the morning sky. It will brighten rapidly, and will be obserbale at 14 mag in good condition in autumn. It locates somewhat low in the Southern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 3 29.31 3 26.1 2.312 1.841 50 17.4 5:38 (240, 31) July 9 3 47.65 4 19.3 2.229 1.798 52 17.3 5:37 (237, 32) C/2011 L1 ( McNaught ) New comet. Now it is 17.8 mag (June 30, P. Dupouy). Good condition in the Southern Hemisphere. It will be getting higher also in the Northern Hemisphere. But it will fade out rapidly. It will be fainter than 18 mag in late July. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 15 41.28 -22 40.8 2.125 2.964 138 17.4 21:01 (180, 78) July 9 15 38.86 -20 28.8 2.241 3.007 130 17.5 20:31 (180, 75) 37P/Forbes Now it is 17.4 mag (June 24, J. F. Hernandez). It will brighten up to 15 mag in autumn and winter. But the condition of this apparition is bad. It is not observable around the perihelion passage. It will be getting lower in the evening sky after this. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will be observable until September when it brightens up to 16 mag. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will be unobservable soon. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 11 39.48 -7 9.3 2.156 2.195 78 17.5 18:29 (138, 55) July 9 11 48.15 -7 52.7 2.194 2.154 74 17.4 18:32 (130, 53) C/2010 R1 ( LINEAR ) Now it is 17.0 mag (June 30, P. Dupouy). It is observable at 17 mag for a long time from 2011 to 2013. In 2011, it is observable in good condition in summer. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 17 16.74 3 57.7 5.215 6.083 145 17.4 22:35 (180, 51) July 9 17 9.04 3 54.2 5.247 6.064 140 17.4 22:00 (180, 51) 2009 YS6 Peculiar asteroid moving along a comet-like retrograde orbit. Now it is 17.2 mag (July 1, C. Bell). It will be at opposition and observable at 17.5 mag in June and July. It has already passed the perihelion in January. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 19 40.87 -14 19.9 1.665 2.656 163 17.7 1:05 (180, 69) July 9 19 14.04 -13 53.5 1.708 2.718 171 17.7 0:11 (180, 69) C/2009 UG89 ( Lemmon ) Now it is 16.6 mag (June 21, Hidetaka Sato). In the Northern Hemisphere, it keeps observable at 17 mag in good condition until summer. It locates low in the Southern Hemisphere. Date(TT) R.A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1 Best Time(A, h) July 2 15 1.65 40 43.9 4.021 4.287 98 17.7 20:20 (180, 14) July 9 14 51.71 39 46.6 4.130 4.311 93 17.8 19:43 (180, 15)