Comet Chasing in February

News

• 2011 W3 (Lovejoy) has unexpectedly survived perihelion. This comet put on a good show just before dawn from the southern hemisphere but has since faded.

• P/2006 T1 (Levy) is very faint--possibly fainter than 20th magnitude. Various web sites and most software (online or otherwise--including Google Sky) is showing this comet as 11th magnitude. There are web sites predicting it will be 7th magnitude in January, which is highly doubtful. In fact this comet  has not been observed since 2006 and the orbital data and magnitude parameters are not up to date. The creators of these web sites and software do not monitor actual observations and the result is unreliable information. In fact these sources also still show 2010 X1 (Elenin) which disintegrated over a month ago! What a huge disservice they are doing. I urge readers to complain about it to them.

• 2010 X1 (Elenin) has disintegrated. It faded dramatically after a solar flare on August 20. Images at the end of August revealed a spreading, more diffuse coma. The remnants of this comet can be observed visually, but it is a difficult observation requiring a dark site and considerable expertise in spotting diffuse objects.

• 2011 Q4 (SWAN) is a new discovery of September 5 via SWAN, apparently independently by Vladimir Bezugly and Rob Matson. See below for details.

Comet Visibility in the Eyepiece

This page uses code developed for SkyTools 3 to predict the visibility of a comet in the eyepiece.  Predicting how much aperture is required to see a comet is a very complex task.  Have a look for yourself: a comparison of the predictions below (such as "visible in small telescopes") to the magnitude of each comet shows just how poor an indicator the magnitude alone really is.  When you read below that a particular aperture is required to see a comet you can have a reasonable degree of confidence that the comet can in fact be seen in the eyepiece.

Make your own custom charts and predictions for your location and equipment: software for comet observing

Comet Synopses for February

C/2009 P1 (Garradd): A morning comet visible in binoculars
This comet begins the month in Hercules at magnitude 6.3. Look for a 15' coma. It should remain constant, moving into Draco by month's end.  FINDER CHART

Latitude	Visibility February 4	Visibility February 11	Visibility February 18	Visibility February 25	Visibility March 3	Nights Visible
55o N	High during morning twilight at ~06:00	Fairly high in the northern sky at ~22:30	High at ~05:00	High at ~04:40	High at ~04:30	1-
40o N	High at ~05:30	High during morning twilight at ~05:30	High at ~05:00	High at ~05:00	High at ~04:00	1-
Equator	Fairly high in the northern sky during morning twilight at ~05:00	Fairly high during morning twilight at ~05:10	Fairly high in moonlight at ~05:00	Fairly high in the northern sky at ~05:00	Fairly high in the northern sky at ~04:00	1-
30o S	Not visible	Not visible	Not visible	Not visible	Not visible	2-15

C /2011 W3 (Lovejoy): A morning comet possible visible to the naked eye
This comet begins the month in Caelum. Lovejoy is less a comet than the fading remnant of the tail that appeared when it swung close to the sun late last year. From a very dark location it may be glimpsed as a long streak of light early in the month. It should fade rapidly, moving into Lepus by month's end. The best visibility is early in the month as seen from the southern hemisphere.  FINDER CHART

Latitude	Visibility February 4	Visibility February 11	Visibility February 18	Visibility February 25	Visibility March 3	Nights Visible
55o N	Not visible	Very low in the southern sky at ~19:30	Low in the southern sky at ~19:10	Low in the southern sky during evening twilight at ~19:20	Low in the southern sky during evening twilight at ~19:20	6-
40o N	Low in the southern sky in moonlight at ~19:50	Fairly high in the southern sky at ~19:30	Fairly high in the southern sky at ~19:20	Fairly high in moonlight at ~19:20	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:10	1-
Equator	High in moonlight at ~19:50	High at ~19:40	High at ~19:30	High in moonlight at ~19:30	High during evening twilight at ~19:20	1-
30o S	High during evening twilight at ~20:20	High at ~20:20	High at ~20:10	High at ~20:20	High during evening twilight at ~19:40	1-

C/2010 S1 (LINEAR): A northern hemisphere evening comet visible in a 12.5-inch telescope
This comet begins the month in Andromeda at magnitude 13.1. Look for a 40" coma. It should remain constant.  FINDER CHART

Latitude	Visibility February 4	Visibility February 11	Visibility February 18	Visibility February 25	Visibility March 3	Nights Visible
55o N	Fairly high in the northern sky during morning twilight at ~06:00	High during evening twilight at ~19:00	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:10	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:20	Fairly high in the northern sky during morning twilight at ~04:50	1-
40o N	High during evening twilight at ~18:40	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:00	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:00	Fairly high in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:10	Low in the northern sky during morning twilight at ~05:10	1-
Equator	Very low in the northern sky during evening twilight at ~19:10	Very low in the northern sky during evening twilight at ~19:00	Not visible	Not visible	Not visible	1-12
30o S	Not visible	Not visible	Not visible	Not visible	Not visible

C/2011 F1 (LINEAR): A morning comet visible in a 12.5-inch telescope
This comet begins the month in Bootes at magnitude 13.8. Look for a 60" coma. It should brighten slowly.  FINDER CHART

Latitude	Visibility February 4	Visibility February 11	Visibility February 18	Visibility February 25	Visibility March 3	Nights Visible
55o N	High during morning twilight at ~06:00	Fairly high in the northern sky at ~22:30	High at ~05:00	High at ~04:50	High at ~04:30	1-
40o N	High at ~05:30	High in moonlight at ~05:30	High at ~05:00	High at ~05:00	High at ~04:40	1-
Equator	Fairly high during morning twilight at ~05:00	Fairly high during morning twilight at ~05:10	Fairly high in moonlight at ~05:00	Fairly high at ~04:50	Fairly high at ~04:50	1-
30o S	Very low in the northern sky during morning twilight at ~04:30	Very low in the northern sky during morning twilight at ~04:40	Very low in the northern sky during morning twilight at ~04:30	Very low in the northern sky during morning twilight at ~04:40	Very low in the northern sky during morning twilight at ~04:40	1-

21P/Giacobini-Zinner: An evening comet visible in very large telescopes
This comet begins the month in Aquarius at magnitude 8.0. Look for a 5' coma. It should fade slowly, moving into Pisces by month's end.  FINDER CHART

Latitude	Visibility February 4	Visibility February 11	Visibility February 18	Visibility February 25	Visibility March 3	Nights Visible
55o N	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~18:10	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~18:30	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~18:40	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~18:50	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:00	1-
40o N	Low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~18:30	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~18:40	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~18:50	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:00	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:00	1-
Equator	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:10	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:10	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:10	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:10	Low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:10	1-
30o S	Not visible	Not visible	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:30	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:30	Very low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:20	17-

78P/Gehrels: An evening comet visible in very large telescopes
This comet begins the month in Pisces at magnitude 11.4. Look for a 3' coma. It should fade slowly, moving into Aries by month's end.  FINDER CHART

Latitude	Visibility February 4	Visibility February 11	Visibility February 18	Visibility February 25	Visibility March 3	Nights Visible
55o N	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~18:30	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:00	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:10	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:20	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:20	1-
40o N	High during evening twilight at ~18:40	High at ~19:00	High during evening twilight at ~19:10	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:20	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:10	1-
Equator	High during evening twilight at ~19:20	High during evening twilight at ~19:30	High during evening twilight at ~19:30	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:20	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:20	1-
30o S	Fairly high in the western sky during evening twilight at ~20:10	Fairly high in the western sky during evening twilight at ~20:10	Fairly high in the western sky during evening twilight at ~20:00	Fairly high in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:50	Fairly high in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:40	1-

C/2010 G2 (Hill): An evening comet visible in very large telescopes
This comet begins the month in Eridanus at magnitude 12.9. Look for a 3.5' coma. It should fade by about 0.9 magnitudes by month's end.  FINDER CHART

Latitude	Visibility February 4	Visibility February 11	Visibility February 18	Visibility February 25	Visibility March 3	Nights Visible
55o N	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~18:30	Fairly high in the southern sky during evening twilight at ~19:00	Fairly high in the southern sky during evening twilight at ~19:10	Fairly high in the southern sky during evening twilight at ~19:20	Low in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:20	1-
40o N	High during evening twilight at ~18:50	High at ~19:00	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:10	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:10	Fairly high in the western sky during evening twilight at ~19:10	1-
Equator	High during evening twilight at ~19:20	High at ~19:30	High at ~19:30	High in moonlight at ~19:30	High during evening twilight at ~19:20	1-
30o S	High during evening twilight at ~20:10	High during evening twilight at ~20:20	High during evening twilight at ~20:10	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~20:00	Fairly high during evening twilight at ~19:40	1-

Summary Data for This Month's Telescopic Comets

*In solar conjunction and not visible

For the latest news and comet observations see 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.

Make your own custom charts for your location and telescope/binoculars: software for comet observing
 

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

Visit Software or the Skyhound observing page.