Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2018 Feb. 3: North)

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Updated on February 4, 2018
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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.

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* 185P/Petriew

Now it is 12.8 mag (Jan. 16, Vance Petriew). It will brighten up to 11 mag from January to February. In the Northern Hemisphere, it stays observable for a long time in the evening sky. In the Southern Hemisphere, it locates extremely low at the highlight.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  23 54.84   -2 32.4   1.351   0.939    43   11.0  18:56 ( 68, 24)  
Feb. 10   0 29.11   -0 39.3   1.334   0.955    45   11.0  19:02 ( 70, 25)  

* C/2016 R2 ( PanSTARRS )

Now it is bright as 11.0 mag (Jan. 19, Sandor Szabo). It will stay bright as 11 mag for a long time until spring. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will be unobservable in March. In the Northern Hemispehre, it stays observable for a long time after this until the comet fades out.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3   3 59.44   23 38.6   2.315   2.792   108   11.3  19:06 (  0, 79)  
Feb. 10   3 58.33   25 30.6   2.392   2.766   101   11.3  19:02 ( 32, 79)  

* C/2017 T1 ( Heinze )

Now it is very bright as 10.1 mag (Jan. 17, Maik Meyer). It will go far away from Earth after this. But it will approach to Sun down to 0.58 a.u. on Feb. 21. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will be getting lower rapidly after this, and it will be extremely low in February. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is not observable until late March.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  21 52.24   26 59.0   0.841   0.713    45   11.5  18:56 (112, 15)  
Feb. 10  21 44.83   22 43.7   1.003   0.637    37   11.5  19:02 (114,  5)  

* 62P/Tsuchinshan 1

It brightened up to 9.2 mag from November to December (Nov. 16, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Now it is fading. But it is bright as 12.5 mag still now (Jan. 20, Chris Wyatt). It stays observable in good condition until summer when it fades out.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  14 14.80    1 42.0   1.106   1.633   102   12.1   5:23 (  0, 57)  
Feb. 10  14 22.36    1 46.4   1.086   1.673   107   12.4   5:03 (  0, 57)  

* C/2016 N6 ( PanSTARRS )

Now it is 13.1 mag (Jan. 17, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It is expected to brighten up to 12 mag from 2018 to 2019. In the Northern Hemisphere, it stays observable in good condition while the comet will be brightening gradually. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is not observable until October.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  15 42.34   65 14.1   2.827   3.171   101   12.8   5:31 (195, 58)  
Feb. 10  15 33.99   68 34.3   2.753   3.133   103   12.6   5:26 (188, 56)  

* C/2016 M1 ( PanSTARRS )

Now it is 14.1 mag (Dec. 13, Kunihiro Shima). It is expected to brighten up to 10 mag in summer in 2018. In the Northern Hemisphere, it stays observable until 2018 summer while the comet will be brightening. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will appear in the morning sky in late February, then it will be observable in good condition.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  18 49.97    3 55.3   3.753   3.054    39   13.5   5:31 (280, 21)  
Feb. 10  18 56.60    3  9.5   3.653   3.003    42   13.4   5:26 (284, 24)  

* (3200) Phaethon

It approached to Earth down to 0.07 a.u. in mid December, and it brightened up to 10.4 mag (Dec. 15, Thomas Lehmann). It approaches to Sun down to 0.14 a.u. on Jan. 25, but it is not observable.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  21 16.57  -10  7.3   1.309   0.353     7   13.6  18:56 ( 86,-12)  
Feb. 10  22  1.63   -3 29.5   1.451   0.538    13   14.9  19:02 ( 90, -6)  

* C/2015 V2 ( Johnson )

It brightened up to 7.1 mag from May to June in 2017 (June 21, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Now it is fading. It has already faded down to 12.9 mag (Jan. 17, Chris Wyatt). In the Southern Hemisphere, it stays observable for a long time after this. However, it will be extremely low from January to March. 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  22 25.79  -50 40.3   4.060   3.334    37   13.7  18:56 ( 42,-21)  
Feb. 10  22 41.19  -49 47.9   4.125   3.400    37   13.9  19:02 ( 45,-23)  

* C/2017 O1 ( ASASSN )

It brightened up to 8.1 mag in autumn (Oct. 3, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Now it is fading. It has already faded down to 14.2 mag (Jan. 15, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It is observable all night in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, it stays observable in excellent condition for a long time. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will never be observable again after this.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3   4 29.20   82  5.6   1.583   2.124   109   13.8  19:41 (180, 43)  
Feb. 10   5  9.85   80 26.5   1.668   2.188   108   14.1  19:53 (180, 45)  

* 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

It is not observable now. It will appear in the morning sky in late March in the Southern Hemisphere, or in late April in the Northern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  21 59.46   -9 30.3   6.743   5.796    15   13.9  18:56 ( 81, -3)  
Feb. 10  22  4.84   -8 57.2   6.766   5.795     9   13.9  19:02 ( 85, -9)  

* C/2015 O1 ( PanSTARRS )

Now it is very bright as 12.3 mag (Jan. 20, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It will be observable at 13-14 mag for a long time from 2017 to 2018. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will be hardly observable after this.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  16 36.70   30 27.4   3.777   3.732    79   14.2   5:31 (270, 62)  
Feb. 10  16 35.40   32 34.5   3.681   3.730    85   14.1   5:26 (268, 67)  

* C/2017 K6 ( Jacques )

Now it is 13.7 mag (Jan. 22, Chris Wyatt). It stays 14 mag for a while. It stays observable in the evening sky until spring.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3   2 26.30  -20 59.6   2.051   2.037    75   14.4  18:56 ( 23, 31)  
Feb. 10   2 35.64  -16 26.4   2.125   2.055    72   14.5  19:02 ( 31, 33)  

* 174P/(60558) 2000 EC98 ( Echeclus )

Brian Skiff found a bright outburst on Dec. 7. It brightened up to 13.2 mag (Dec. 11, Seiichi Yoshida). It stays bright as 14.6 mag still now (Jan. 19, Sandor Szabo). This is the 4th outburst following those in January 2006, May 2011 and August 2016. It stays observable in good condition for a while.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3   2 38.29   11 41.1   7.426   7.440    87   15.2  18:56 ( 39, 62)  
Feb. 10   2 40.06   11 51.9   7.559   7.458    80   15.4  19:02 ( 52, 57)  

* C/2017 T3 ( ATLAS )

Now it is 15.9 mag (Jan. 15, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It will brighten up to 9 mag in 2018 summer. However, it is hardly observable when it is bright. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is observable only until March when it brightens up to 14 mag. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is observable from July to September in 2018, but it locates in extremely low.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  23 41.80   47  5.1   2.860   2.735    72   15.7  18:56 (125, 43)  
Feb. 10  23 55.04   45 17.8   2.858   2.649    67   15.5  19:02 (123, 39)  

* 24P/Schaumasse

It brightened up to 9.7 mag in November (Nov. 16, Juan Jose Gonzalez). Now it is fading rapidly. It has already faded down to 13.3 mag (Jan. 20, Chris Wyatt).

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  15 58.47   -9 52.3   1.501   1.561    74   15.6   5:31 (329, 40)  
Feb. 10  16 10.95  -10 32.2   1.492   1.614    78   16.2   5:26 (332, 40)  

* 240P/NEAT

It brightened very rapidly up to 13.8 mag in August (Aug. 22, kunihiro Shima). After that, it is fading gradually. Now it is 15.5 mag (Jan. 20, Kunihiro Shima). It will be unobservable in March.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3   0 59.97   -8 49.9   2.648   2.277    57   15.7  18:56 ( 51, 31)  
Feb. 10   1 10.32   -6 41.8   2.697   2.259    53   15.8  19:02 ( 57, 29)  

* C/2015 V1 ( PanSTARRS )

Now it is 16.2 mag (Jan. 12, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It will be unobservable temporarily soon.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3   0 13.53   -2 57.5   4.878   4.285    48   15.8  18:56 ( 65, 27)  
Feb. 10   0 15.43   -3 20.1   4.980   4.291    41   15.8  19:02 ( 70, 21)  

* 37P/Forbes

Now it is 17.4 mag (Dec. 18, Kim Breedlove). It will be observable at 14 mag in good condition from spring to summer.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  17 19.11  -30 17.5   2.246   1.832    53   16.0   5:31 (322, 13)  
Feb. 10  17 40.65  -30 34.9   2.167   1.802    55   15.8   5:26 (322, 12)  

* C/2014 B1 ( Schwartz )

Now it is 16.4 mag (Jan. 12, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It stays 16-17 mag for a long time from 2016 to 2019. It stays near by the equator.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  10 30.33    5 16.2   8.681   9.591   156   15.8   1:40 (  0, 60)  
Feb. 10  10 28.92    5 34.5   8.643   9.594   163   15.8   1:11 (  0, 60)  

* 74P/Smirnova-Chernykh

Now it is 16.1 mag (Jan. 15, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It will be observable at 16 mag in good condition from winter to spring.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  11 59.93    9 20.6   2.752   3.537   136   16.1   3:09 (  0, 64)  
Feb. 10  11 58.15    9 45.9   2.688   3.537   144   16.0   2:40 (  0, 65)  

* C/2017 M4 ( ATLAS )

Now it is 15.8 mag (Dec. 25, Kunihiro Shima). It is expected to brighten up to 13-14 mag from 2018 to 2019. In the Northern Hemisphere, it stays observable in good condition for a long time. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is not observable until summer in 2018.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  19 22.64   38 32.4   4.986   4.577    60   16.1   5:31 (242, 32)  
Feb. 10  19 26.53   38 32.5   4.933   4.534    60   16.0   5:26 (244, 35)  

* C/2016 A1 ( PanSTARRS )

Now it is 15.3 mag (Jan. 19, Sandor Szabo). It stays 16 mag for a long time from 2017 to 2018. It is observable in excellent condition in the Northern Hemisphere. It locates very low in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3   8  4.36   39 45.0   4.455   5.354   153   16.0  23:09 (180, 85)  
Feb. 10   7 55.00   40 43.1   4.512   5.360   146   16.1  22:33 (180, 84)  

* C/2017 B3 ( LINEAR )

It stays 15 mag from 2018 to 2019, and it will be observable for a long time in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, it will never be observable again.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  14 10.06  -53 59.8   4.996   4.997    84   16.2   5:19 (  0,  1)  
Feb. 10  14 11.47  -55 32.3   4.877   4.961    89   16.1   4:53 (  0, -1)  

* C/2011 KP36 ( Spacewatch )

Now it is 16.9 mag (Jan. 14, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It stays 17 mag in 2018.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3   3 15.08    0 11.9   6.419   6.535    92   16.2  18:56 ( 15, 54)  
Feb. 10   3 16.84    0 33.1   6.558   6.566    86   16.3  19:02 ( 28, 52)  

* C/2016 N4 ( MASTER )

Now it is 15.8 mag (Jan. 14, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It will be fading after this. In the Northern Hemisphere, it stays observable in the northern sky for a long time. It is not observable at all after this in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  20 45.08   66 31.1   3.439   3.465    83   16.2   5:31 (207, 30)  
Feb. 10  20 54.87   67 56.9   3.475   3.491    82   16.3   5:26 (206, 31)  

* C/2016 T3 ( PanSTARRS )

Now it is 17.4 mag (Jan. 12, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It will be fading after this, and will be fainter than 18 mag in April.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3   9 46.19  -15 30.6   2.195   3.064   146   16.8   0:56 (  0, 39)  
Feb. 10   9 41.90  -15 50.3   2.209   3.100   149   16.8   0:24 (  0, 39)  

* C/2010 U3 ( Boattini )

Now it is 16.4 mag (Jan. 19, Kunihiro Shima). It will pass the perihelion in 2019. However, it has not been brightening since the discovery in 2010. It is observable in good conditioin in the Northern Hemisphere. It is not observable for a long time in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3   5 45.41   76 23.7   8.288   8.751   115   16.8  20:53 (180, 49)  
Feb. 10   5 41.46   76  6.8   8.330   8.741   111   16.8  20:21 (180, 49)  

* (3552) Don Quixote

It will brighten up to 16 mag in spring. In the Southern Hemisphere, it stays observable until August, but it will be unobservable after that. In the Northern Hemisphere, it stays unobservable until June, but it will be observable in good condition after that.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  17 26.78  -46  0.4   2.086   1.700    53   17.0   5:31 (330, -1)  
Feb. 10  17 58.59  -47  1.2   2.000   1.646    54   16.9   5:26 (329, -3)  

* C/2014 OE4 ( PanSTARRS )

Now it is 16.3 mag (Jan. 18, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It will be fading gradually after this, and it will be fainter than 18 mag in autumn. In the Northern Hemisphere, it stays observable in good condition for a long time. In the Southern Hemisphere, it will never be observable again.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  20 35.46   60  0.3   7.024   6.868    76   16.9   5:31 (214, 28)  
Feb. 10  20 46.76   60 25.9   7.068   6.888    75   17.0   5:26 (215, 30)  

* 30P/Reinmuth 1

Now it is 17.3 mag (Jan. 20, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It stays observable at 17 mag in good condition for a while. It will be fainter than 18 mag in May.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  15  0.19   -7 56.1   2.160   2.358    88   17.0   5:31 (346, 46)  
Feb. 10  15  7.03   -8  0.2   2.105   2.391    94   17.0   5:26 (352, 47)  

* 145P/Shoemaker-Levy 5

It brightened up to 14.8 mag from autumn to winter (Nov. 21, Hiroshi Abe). Now it is fading. It has already faded down to 16.2 mag (Jan. 18, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It is observable in good condition in the Northern Hemisphere. It locates low in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3   5  4.04   38 13.3   1.654   2.345   123   17.1  20:11 (180, 87)  
Feb. 10   5  9.02   37 47.0   1.755   2.379   117   17.4  19:48 (180, 87)  

* 217P/LINEAR

It brightened up to 12.2 mag in August (Aug. 21, Juan Jose Gonzalez). It is fading now. It has already faded down to 16.0 mag (Jan. 12, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato).

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3   7 19.30   19 32.7   1.629   2.555   154   17.3  22:25 (  0, 75)  
Feb. 10   7 15.01   20 16.8   1.730   2.610   146   17.5  21:53 (  0, 75)  

* C/2015 XY1 ( Lemmon )

Now it is 17.0 mag (Jan. 18, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It stays observable at 18 mag for a long time until 2019.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3   5 47.36   17 11.8   7.243   7.945   132   17.3  20:53 (  0, 72)  
Feb. 10   5 43.10   17  0.8   7.339   7.943   124   17.3  20:21 (  0, 72)  

* 90P/Gehrels 1

Now it is 16.8 mag (Jan. 12, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It will be fading after this, and will be fainter than 18 mag in March. It is observable in excellent condition in the Northern Hemisphere. It locates low in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3   5  0.86   34 29.4   2.735   3.374   122   17.4  20:07 (  0, 89)  
Feb. 10   5  2.57   34 12.5   2.840   3.396   116   17.5  19:42 (  0, 89)  

* 103P/Hartley 2

Now it is 18.4 mag (Jan. 15, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It will be fading slowly after this.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  11 56.03  -14  5.1   2.496   3.196   127   17.5   3:05 (  0, 41)  
Feb. 10  11 51.78  -13 49.7   2.466   3.244   135   17.6   2:33 (  0, 41)  

* C/2017 D3 ( ATLAS )

Now it is 17.4 mag (Jan. 17, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It was observed at 17 mag in former 2017. It will be observable at 18 mag in good condition from winter to spring.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  12 45.57    9 22.4   4.783   5.422   125   17.7   3:54 (  0, 64)  
Feb. 10  12 41.63   10 50.2   4.711   5.443   133   17.7   3:23 (  0, 66)  

* 235P/LINEAR

It is observable at 17.5 mag in good condition from February to April. However, now it is 19.2 mag (Jan. 15, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato), fainter than predicted.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  12  3.10   -8 16.5   2.010   2.743   129   17.9   3:12 (  0, 47)  
Feb. 10  12  2.90   -8 11.8   1.939   2.740   136   17.8   2:44 (  0, 47)  

* C/2017 E3 ( PanSTARRS )

Now it is 17.0 mag (Jan. 20, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It was observed at 17 mag in 2017. It will be observable at 18 mag in 2018.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  15  2.60  -20 10.3   6.177   6.168    84   17.9   5:31 (349, 34)  
Feb. 10  15  4.16  -19 42.7   6.073   6.182    91   17.8   5:26 (354, 35)  

* C/2018 A3 ( ATLAS )

Now it is 17.4 mag (Jan. 20, Toshihiko Ikemura, Hirohisa Sato). It will brighten up to 15.5 mag in January, 2019. It stays observable in excellent condition in the Northern Hemispehre. It is observable only until June, 2018, in the Southern Hemisphere.

Date(TT)  R.A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong.  m1   Best Time(A, h)  
Feb.  3  12 52.94   12 35.4   3.901   4.538   124   18.0   4:02 (  0, 67)  
Feb. 10  12 47.84   14 21.0   3.764   4.496   132   17.9   3:29 (  0, 69)  

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