Comet Chasing in January


Comet chasing is the visual observation of telescopic comets.

News


Comet Synopses for January


Explanation of Comet Synopses and charts (read this if you have questions)  

Charts look poor or grainy? Read this.

C/2007 N3 (Lulin): A morning comet visible to the naked eye
This comet begins the month in Libra at magnitude 7.1. Look for a 7.2' coma. It should brighten by about 1.3 magnitudes by month's end.  FINDER CHART
Latitude Visibility January 3 Visibility January 10 Visibility January 17 Visibility January 24 Visibility January 31 Nights Visible
55o N Very low in the southern sky during morning twilight at ~06:20 Low in the southern sky during morning twilight at ~06:40 Low in the southern sky during morning twilight at ~06:20 Low in the southern sky at ~05:50 Low in the southern sky at ~05:30 1-
40o N Low in the eastern sky at ~05:40 Fairly high in the southern sky during morning twilight at ~06:00 Fairly high in the southern sky during morning twilight at ~05:50 Fairly high in the southern sky at ~05:30 Fairly high at ~05:20 1-
Equator Fairly high in the eastern sky at ~04:40 Fairly high during morning twilight at ~05:00 High during morning twilight at ~05:00 High at ~04:50 High at ~04:50 1-
30o S Low in the eastern sky during morning twilight at ~03:30 Fairly high in the eastern sky during morning twilight at ~04:00 Fairly high during morning twilight at ~03:50 High at ~03:50 High at ~03:50 1-

144P/Kushida: An evening comet visible in binoculars
This comet begins the month in Taurus at magnitude 8.3. Look for a 9.5' coma. It should fade slowly.  FINDER CHART
Latitude Visibility January 3 Visibility January 10 Visibility January 17 Visibility January 24 Visibility January 31 Nights Visible
55o N Fairly high at ~00:10 High in moonlight at ~20:30 High at ~20:00 High at ~19:50 Fairly high at ~23:10 1-
40o N High at ~23:50 High in moonlight at ~20:30 High at ~20:00 High at ~19:50 High at ~22:50 1-
Equator High at ~23:20 High in moonlight at ~20:20 High at ~20:00 High at ~19:50 High at ~22:10 1-
30o S Fairly high at ~23:10 High during evening twilight at ~20:30 High at ~20:50 High at ~20:40 Fairly high at ~21:40 1-

210P/Christensen: A morning comet visible in small telescopes
This comet begins the month in Ophiuchus at magnitude 6.9. Look for a 40" coma. It should fade rapidly.  FINDER CHART
Latitude Visibility January 3 Visibility January 10 Visibility January 17 Visibility January 24 Visibility January 31 Nights Visible
55o N Very low in the eastern sky during morning twilight at ~06:20 Low in the southern sky during morning twilight at ~06:30 Low in the southern sky during morning twilight at ~06:10 Fairly high in the southern sky at ~05:50 Fairly high in the southern sky at ~05:40 1-
40o N Very low in the eastern sky during morning twilight at ~05:50 Fairly high in the eastern sky during morning twilight at ~06:00 Fairly high in the eastern sky during morning twilight at ~05:50 Fairly high at ~05:30 Fairly high at ~05:30 1-
Equator Low in the eastern sky during morning twilight at ~04:50 Fairly high in the eastern sky during morning twilight at ~05:00 Fairly high during morning twilight at ~05:00 High at ~04:50 High at ~04:50 1-
30o S Very low in the eastern sky during morning twilight at ~04:00 Low in the eastern sky during morning twilight at ~04:10 Fairly high in the eastern sky during morning twilight at ~04:00 Fairly high in the eastern sky at ~03:50 Fairly high at ~04:00 1-

C/2006 W3 (Christensen): A northern hemisphere evening comet visible in small telescopes
This comet begins the month in Cygnus at magnitude 9.7. Look for a 3.0' coma. It should remain constant, moving into Lacerta by month's end.  FINDER CHART
Latitude Visibility January 3 Visibility January 10 Visibility January 17 Visibility January 24 Visibility January 31 Nights Visible
55o N High in moonlight at ~18:00 High during evening twilight at ~18:00 High at ~18:30 High at ~18:40 Fairly high in moonlight at ~18:50 1-
40o N High in moonlight at ~18:20 High during evening twilight at ~18:20 High at ~18:40 Fairly high at ~18:50 Fairly high in the western sky in moonlight at ~18:50 1-
Equator Low in the northern sky during evening twilight at ~19:20 Low in the northern sky during evening twilight at ~19:10 Low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:20 Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:20 Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:10 1-
30o S Not visible Not visible Not visible Not visible Not visible  

C/2008 A1 (McNaught): A far-northern morning comet visible in small telescopes
This comet begins the month in Hercules at magnitude 9.3. Look for a 4.6' coma. It should fade by about 0.9 magnitudes, moving into Cygnus by month's end.  FINDER CHART
Latitude Visibility January 3 Visibility January 10 Visibility January 17 Visibility January 24 Visibility January 31 Nights Visible
55o N Low in the eastern sky at ~06:10 Fairly high in the eastern sky during morning twilight at ~06:30 Low in the western sky at ~18:20 Fairly high in the eastern sky at ~05:50 Fairly high at ~05:40 1-
40o N Low in the eastern sky at ~05:40 Low in the eastern sky during morning twilight at ~06:10 Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~18:30 Fairly high in the eastern sky at ~05:40 Fairly high in the eastern sky at ~05:30 1-
Equator Not visible Not visible Not visible Not visible Not visible  
30o S Not visible Not visible Not visible Not visible Not visible  

C/2006 OF2 (Broughton): An evening comet visible in small telescopes
This comet begins the month in Camelopardus at magnitude 9.9. Look for a 3.2' coma. It should fade by about 0.5 magnitudes, moving into Auriga by month's end.  FINDER CHART
Latitude Visibility January 3 Visibility January 10 Visibility January 17 Visibility January 24 Visibility January 31 Nights Visible
55o N High at ~00:10 High in moonlight at ~22:40 High at ~22:10 High at ~21:40 High at ~23:10 1-
40o N High at ~23:50 High in moonlight at ~22:40 High at ~22:10 High at ~21:40 High at ~22:50 1-
Equator Fairly high at ~23:20 Fairly high in moonlight at ~22:40 Fairly high at ~22:10 Fairly high at ~21:40 Fairly high at ~22:10 1-
30o S Not visible Not visible Very low in the northern sky at ~22:10 Very low in the northern sky at ~21:40 Low in the northern sky at ~21:40 14-

29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann: A morning comet visible in a 6-inch telescope
This comet begins the month in Cancer at magnitude 11.7. Look for a 1.0' coma. It should remain constant, moving into Gemini by month's end.  FINDER CHART
Latitude Visibility January 3 Visibility January 10 Visibility January 17 Visibility January 24 Visibility January 31 Nights Visible
55o N High at ~01:10 High in moonlight at ~23:50 High at ~00:10 High at ~23:40 High at ~23:10 1-
40o N High at ~01:10 High in moonlight at ~00:00 High at ~00:10 High at ~23:40 High at ~23:10 1-
Equator High at ~01:10 High in moonlight at ~00:20 High at ~23:40 High at ~23:40 High at ~23:10 1-
30o S Fairly high at ~01:10 Fairly high in moonlight at ~00:40 Fairly high at ~23:00 Fairly high at ~23:40 Fairly high at ~23:10 1-

67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko: An evening comet visible in an 8-inch telescope
This comet begins the month in Aquarius at magnitude 12.3. Look for a 1.7' coma. It should brighten slowly, moving into Pisces by month's end. The best visibility is mid-month as seen from the southern hemisphere.  FINDER CHART
Latitude Visibility January 3 Visibility January 10 Visibility January 17 Visibility January 24 Visibility January 31 Nights Visible
55o N Fairly high in the southern sky during evening twilight at ~17:50 Fairly high in the southern sky during evening twilight at ~17:50 Fairly high in the southern sky at ~18:30 Fairly high in the western sky at ~18:40 Fairly high in the western sky during evening twilight at ~18:40 1-
40o N Fairly high during evening twilight at ~18:20 Fairly high during evening twilight at ~18:20 Fairly high in the western sky at ~18:40 Fairly high in the western sky at ~18:50 Fairly high in the western sky in moonlight at ~18:50 1-
Equator Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:20 Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:10 Fairly high at ~19:30 Fairly high at ~19:30 Fairly high in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:30 1-
30o S Fairly high in the western sky during evening twilight at ~20:30 Not visible Low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~20:30 Low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~20:30 Low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~20:20 1-7, 12-

C/2008 T2 (Cardinal): A northern hemisphere evening comet visible in an 8-inch telescope
This comet begins the month in Cepheus at magnitude 12.8. Look for a 1.2' coma. It should brighten by about 0.8 magnitudes, moving into Cassiopeia by month's end.  FINDER CHART
Latitude Visibility January 3 Visibility January 10 Visibility January 17 Visibility January 24 Visibility January 31 Nights Visible
55o N High at ~00:10 High in moonlight at ~19:40 High at ~18:50 High at ~19:00 High at ~23:10 1-
40o N High at ~23:50 High in moonlight at ~19:30 High at ~19:00 High at ~19:00 High at ~22:50 1-
Equator Very low in the northern sky during evening twilight at ~19:20 Not visible Low in the northern sky at ~19:30 Low in the northern sky at ~19:30 Low in the northern sky in moonlight at ~19:30 1-8, 12-
30o S Not visible Not visible Not visible Not visible Not visible  

Summary Data for This Month's Telescopic Comets


Here's a list of the comets brighter than 15th magnitude.  This table is updated as necessary.  The last column indicates the date of the last observation used to compute these values.  The constellation listed is where the comet was on the first of the month.
Comet Constellation

January 1st

January 15th

January 31st

Observations as of (UT)
Mag Diam Mag Diam Mag Diam
C/2007 N3 (Lulin) Libra 7.0 3.8' 6.5 4.8' 5.8 7.1' 2008 December 25
210P/Christensen Ophiuchus 7.0 57" 8.5 47" 10.0 40" 2008 December 24
144P/Kushida Taurus 8.3 10.0' 8.3 9.4' 8.5 8.6' 2009 January 2
C/2008 A1 (McNaught) Hercules 9.3 4.9' 9.8 4.8' 10.2 4.6' 2008 December 29
C/2006 W3 (Christensen) Cygnus 9.7 3.0' 9.7 2.9' 9.7 2.8' 2009 January 1
C/2006 OF2 (Broughton) Camelopardus 9.9 3.2' 10.1 3.0' 10.4 2.8' 2009 January 2
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann Cancer 11.7 1.0' 11.7 1.0' 11.7 1.0' 2008 December 28
67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko Aquarius 12.3 1.7' 12.1 1.7' 11.9 1.7' 2008 December 21
C/2008 T2 (Cardinal) Cepheus 12.8 1.1' 12.4 1.1' 11.9 1.2' 2008 December 21
6P/d'Arrest Cetus 13.8 2.0' 14.8 1.8' 16.0 1.6' 2008 November 23
19P/Borrelly Canes Venatici 13.9 1.7' 14.3 1.7' 14.8 1.7' 2008 November 23
C/2007 U1 (LINEAR) Pegasus 15.0 18" 15.2 17" 15.4 15" 2008 November 23

*In solar conjunction and not visible

For the latest news and comet observations see Recent News and Observations from the Comet Observation Home Page, or the ICQ/CBAT/MPC: Recent Comet Magnitude Estimates page.  The Astronomical Headlines page of the IAU is also a good source of information, particularly for recent discoveries.

For general information about comets see Gary W. Kronk's Cometography 

Join the Comet Chasing discussion group 

Further reading: see Comet Chasing, Sky & Telescope, April 2005, pg. 83.

All predictions and charts were made with my SkyTools  observing software.  Specific information regarding its many unique comet observing features can be found here.
 

Links
Skyhound's Guide to Comets
Skyhound's Guide to Finding Comets
BAA Comet Section
Astronomical Headlines (IAU)
Cometography

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