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Comet
Chasing in January
Comet chasing is the visual
observation of telescopic comets.
C/2007 N3 (Lulin) is visible to the naked eye
210P should appear in the morning sky during January
85P has failed to brighten as expected and has likely gone forever
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 144P/Kushida: An evening
comet visible in binoculars 210P/Christensen: A
morning comet visible in small telescopes C/2006 W3 (Christensen): A
northern hemisphere evening comet visible in small telescopes C/2008 A1 (McNaught): A
far-northern morning comet visible in small telescopes C/2006 OF2 (Broughton): An
evening comet visible in small telescopes 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann:
A morning comet visible in a 6-inch telescope 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko:
An evening comet visible in an 8-inch telescope C/2008 T2 (Cardinal): A
northern hemisphere evening comet visible in an 8-inch telescope
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-
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-
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-
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
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
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-
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-
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-
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 |
