British Astronomical Association

Comet Section

Director: Nick James

Visual observations page

(Co-ordinator Jonathan Shanklin)

Latest Discoveries

Dec 18  Worachate Boonplod reports a Kreutz group comet in real time C2 images
Dec 19  Masanori Uchina reports a Kreutz group comet in real time C2 images
Dec 20  Rainer Kracht reports a Kracht II group comet in real time C2 images
Dec 20  Worachate Boonplod reports a Kreutz group comet in real time C3 images
Dec 21  Discovery of 2019 W1 (P/PanSTARRS) reported
Dec 23  Worachate Boonplod reports a Kreutz group comet in real time C2 images
Dec 24  Worachate Boonplod reports a Kreutz group comet in real time C3 images
Dec 29  Masanori Uchina reports a Kreutz group comet in real time C2 images
Jan 04  Peter Berrett reports a non-group comet in real time C2 images
Jan 05  Discovery of 2019 Y1 (ATLAS) reported
Jan 07  Discovery of 2019 Y2 (P/Fuls) reported
Jan 09  Discovery of 2019 Y3 (P/Catalina) reported
Jan 10  Discovery of 2019 Y4 (ATLAS) reported
Jan 12  Discovery of A/2020 A1 [NEOWISE}reported
Jan 12  Discovery of A/2019 Y5 [PanSTARRS] reported
Jan 12  Discovery of 2019 X2 (P/PanSTARRS)
Jan 13  Worachate Boonplod reports a Kreutz group comet in real time C3 images
Jan 13  Discovery of 2020 A2 reported
Jan 17  Update

If there have been no recent updates try The German comet group page or Seiichi Yoshida's page for information or the Liga Iberoamericana de Astronomia for observations.

Elsewhere on these pages: Highlights / Newly discovered comets / Periodic comets / Contributing observations / Comet Ephemerides / Upcoming Comets / Observing Comets / Links / Meetings / Publications / Comments and Contacts / Old 2019 News / Comet discovery procedure / Weather information / The Comet's Tale / BAA Comet Section image archive / Project Alcock / More information / Legacy page / Main BAA Comet Section page

Current comet magnitudes, and observable region on December 31

Comet	                  Magnitude   Trend    Observable     When visible        Last visual observation
PanSTARRS (2017 T2)            9.5  bright   90 N to 20 S   all night           2019 December
ASASSN (2018 N2)              12      fade     90 N to 25 S   evening             2019 December
289P/Blanpain                 12 ?    steady   75 N to 20 S   evening             Not yet observed
ATLAS (2019 Y1)               12.5    bright   35 N to 35 S   early evening       Not yet observed
68P/Klemola                   12.5    fade     40 N to 20 S   early evening       2019 October
29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann      13 ?    varies   75 N to 35 S   evening             2019 November
260P/McNaught                 13.5    fade     90 N to  5 S   best evening        2019 December
2020 A2 (Iwamoto)             14      steady   Poor elongation                    Not yet observed

The observable region is an approximate indication of the latitude at which the comet may be seen. Under good conditions comets may be visible outside this range. The period when visible is for the UK if the comet is visible from the UK, otherwise for 40 S or the Equator as appropriate. The last visual observation is as received by the Section, details are often updated on the basis of observations published elsewhere. Beginners will often find comets fainter than about 7th magnitude difficult to locate - see below for information on positions and finder charts.

Highlights and News

New comet 2020 A2 (Iwamoto) is likely to increase in solar elongation, though it is a morning object.

The predictions for 2020, 2021 and 2022 have been updated or created.

Comet 2017 T2 is just within range of binocular observation, but requires large binoculars and/or dark skies. The likely peak brightness suggested by using all the observations (visual and electronic) is around 8th magnitude. It will remain well placed for observation until 2020 October. When at its best it will be a northern hemisphere object and circumpolar from the UK. The latest light curve is shown below and the magnitude given above is based on the mean light curve.

The Section welcomes observations from all comet enthusiasts, whether members of the BAA or not. An advantage of joining the BAA is that you can read papers on comets published in the BAA Journal. The 2019 December Journal included a paper on "The brighter comets of 2015". Further papers in this series are in press (2016 - 2017).
Thanks to the many observers who have sent in their observations in ICQ format. Imagers are encouraged to reduce their observations to equivalent visual magnitude (see Project Alcock ) and submit them in this format. Do check the observation files (updated January 4) to see if what you sent matches what is there, as I still have to edit some of the submitted records, particularly the position of "m" when tail length is given in minutes, the focal ratio and the designation of periodic comets 1-99. If your observations are missing it may be because you have not used the correct format, which includes ICQ as a key. If you use the Comet Observation Database to enter your observations they will be formatted correctly, but please send them to me for inclusion in TA.

Details

Details of the discovery, observations and analyses of new comets which were discovered during 1995 , 1996 , 1997 , 1998 , 1999 , 2000 , 2001 , 2002 , 2003 , 2004 , 2005 , 2006 , 2007 , 2008 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 , 2012 , 2013 , 2014 , 2015 , 2016 , 2017 , 2018 [updated 2019 November 2] , 2019 [updated 2020 January 14] , 2020 [updated 2020 January 16] . Note that in general only details of currently visually observable comets are updated and that analyses of the brighter comets of past years will be published in the BAA Journal.
Details, observations and analyses of periodic comets numbered 1 - 100 [updated 2019 July 31], 101 - 199 [updated 2018 February 15], 200 - 299, [updated 2019 November 17], 300 - 399, [updated 2019 November 20] and cometary asteroids, potentially numberable comets and periodic SOHO comets [updated 2019 October 27].
A list of SOHO comets discovered during 2000 , 2001 , 2002 , 2003 , 2004 , 2005 , 2006 , 2007 , 2008 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 , 2012 , 2013 , 2014 , 2015 , 2016 , 2017 , 2018 , 2019 [updated 2020 January 17] , 2020 [updated 2020 January 16] and SOHO X/ comets.
Observations submitted in ICQ format for comets of 2006 , 2007 , 2008 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 , 2012 , 2013 , 2014 , 2015 , 2016 , 2017 , 2018 and 2019 [updated 2020 January 4]. Observations submitted or published in ICQ. Observations in COBS.
Light curves of comets brighter than 10th magnitude or predicted to become that bright (aperture corrected for potential naked eye comets) [click on thumbnail to get the full scale image, updated on 2019 December 31]. The dotted lines represent 99% confidence limits. 2017 T2.

Comet magnitude parameters [ updated 2020 January 4].
Full IAUC details of SOHO Kreutz group and other comets announced during 2000 , 2001 , 2002 , 2003 , 2004 , 2005 , 2006 , 2007 , 2008 , 2009 .
General information on Kreutz and sun approaching comets [updated 2009 May 12], on LASCO, STEREO and the Kreutz comets and a list of all SOHO comets [updated 2016 June 2].
Daily news from 1999 / 2000 / 2001 / 2002 / 2003 / 2004 / 2005 / 2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009 / 2010 / 2011 / 2012 / 2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019 /
Maik Meyer's comet mailing list
Contact Nick James <ndj [at] nickdjames.com> to be added to the distribution list for the BAA Comet Section electronic discussion forum.

Comet ephemerides (positions) etc

For positions of newly discovered comets see the NEO confirmation page . You can also generate your own ephemerides and elements at the CBAT Minor Planet and Comet Ephemeris Service web page. The elements and ephemerides from the JPL Small-Body Database Browser give estimates of the errors, which are often far larger than might be thought from the accuracy of the elements given by the CBAT. Seiichi Yoshida has pages for currently visible comets, which include finder charts. Seiichi also has a comet rendezvous page, which lists conjunctions between comets, variable stars and nebulae and a comet recovery page, which lists periodic comets not yet recovered at the present return. The T3 project aims to discover comets amongst the population of asteroids influenced by Jupiter.

Planning aids and information for forthcoming comets, valid out to about 2025.

Comets reaching within three degrees of 180° opposition [updated 2013 December 31]
Comets reaching within three degrees of zero phase angle [updated 2013 December 31]

The MPC also has a list of the last observation for all comets. Electronic observers should try and observe any comets that have not recently been observed according to the CBAT but which are expected to be within range of their equipment. Negative observations are also useful. In addition, the MPC has orbital elements for unusual asteroids, many of which have cometary orbits.

Finder charts

The BAA Computing Section has online charts for the comets listed here. There are daily finder charts for bright comets at Heavens Above. Reinder Bouma and Edwin van Dijk's astrosite Groningen has an excellent set of finder charts for brighter comets, which also show suitable comparison stars.

Orbits etc

The elements and ephemerides from the JPL Small-Body Database Browser give estimates of the errors, which are often far larger than might be thought from the accuracy of the elements given by the CBAT. Full details of the latest orbits are available from Kazuo Kinoshita's Comet Orbit Home Page. I compile orbital elements in Megastar format for: periodic comets , current comets , comets prior to 2005. Most of the more recent elements include the latest magnitude parameters. The elements are from a mix of CBAT catalogues, MPC, MPEC, JPL and individual orbit computers.

Downloads etc

Download Richard Fleet's GraphDark software for graphically displaying comet (and other object) visibility. Latest version is 2.05, 2007 May.

Download William Schwittek's CometWin software for generating comet ephemerides and visibility diagrams. [Updated 2002 March 5]

Download Solex, N-body solar system dynamics software.

Upcoming comets

Predictions for the comets expected to return in 2020 [updated 2020 January 11] , 2021 [updated 2020 January 11] and 2022 [created 2020 January 11] are published in the BAA Journal in December each year. This list [Updated 2020 January 11] gives the period of visibility and maximum brightness for comets that are predicted to be visible within the next five years. A few are listed further into the future. Seiichi Yoshida also has a list of comets likely to be visible in the next five years.

Contributing observations

Observations may be used in the reports on comets which appear on these pages, in The Comet's Tale and in the BAA Journal. Guidance on observing is given in the BAA Comet Observing Guide

Visual and visual equivalent magnitude observations should be sent to me at <jds [at] ast.com.ac.uk> in simple text format. Visual observers can use the BAA visual report form to log observations. To avoid the use of multiple formats the ICQ format , which uses special keys to code observation particulars, is now standardised as the one to use for submission and archiving of observations. The ICQ have not updated their observation keys since 2010, so these additional keys are suggested for use when submitting observations to the BAA (updated 2017 January 4). Crni Vhr Observatory has launched the Comet Observation Database which allows entry of observations in ICQ format, and plots of light curves. Visual observations entered using this system should be emailed to me at the end of the month. Observations are usually analysed and sent to TA as soon as possible after the end of the month with a TA deadline of the 2nd; any late observations will be used in subsequent analyses. Observations will continue to be published by Guy Hurst in The Astronomer magazine in TA format. There is also a visual drawing form. The German comet group also has a computer program that will correctly format observations for the ICQ [2009 December].

Images should be sent to Denis Buczynski.

Regular contributors include James Abbott, Jose Aguiar, Alexander Amorim, Nicolas Biver, Denis Buczynski, Paul Camilleri, Matyas Csukas, Roger Dymock, John Fletcher, Marco Goiato, Juan Gonzalez, Bjorn Granslo, Werner Hasubick, Kevin Hills, Nick James, Heinz Kerner, Carlos Labordena, Rolando Ligustri, Michael Mattiazzo, Maik Mayer, Antonio Milani, Martin Mobberley, Jose Navarro Pina, Gabriel Oksa, Mieczyslaw Paradowski, Nirmal Paul, Stuart Rae, Walter Robledo, Tony Scarmato, Willian Souza, David Strange Johan Warrell and Seiichi Yoshida, several of whom contribute observations from their colleagues.

Warning I receive a large number of emails containing viruses or other junk. Please try and make clear that your message is legitimate, otherwise it may be deleted without being read. It is advisable to use your own name, rather than an alias, in the 'from' field and use an obvious, recent subject.

Comments and contact

Many thanks to those that regularly access this page for your interest. If you have any comments, suggestions for improvement or find any problems, please email the visual co-ordinator, Jon Shanklin, at j.shanklin @ bas.ac.uk. If you need to phone me, my home number is +44 (0)1223 571250 or my BAS number is +44 (0)1223 221482. Snail mail will reach me at the British Antarctic Survey, Madingley Road, CAMBRIDGE CB3 0ET, England. For information about my work with BAS see my web page at BAS.

Published by jds@ast.cam.ac.uk