The last of the bright comets to arrive in 2013 was Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) which was faintly visible to the naked eye and easily seen in binoculars for most of December. After peaking at magnitude +4.3 at the end of November, Lovejoy gradually started to fade in brightness as it headed past perihelion and away from the inner Solar System. Based on recent observations it should still remain visible with binoculars and small telescopes for the remainder of January and into February.
So far the comet has been the reserve of Northern Hemisphere observers, those further south haven't had a look in. That will soon change in February when Lovejoy will be visible for the first time from southern latitudes, initially appearing very low down in the eastern sky during morning twilight.
Location and star chart
Lovejoy started 2014 moving in a southeasterly direction through Hercules. It remained in the constellation until January 14th before crossing into Ophiuchus. Lovejoy then continued in the same direction; however its speed of movement against the background stars noticeably started to slow down. On February 18th the comet moves into Serpens Cauda where it remains for the rest of the month.
It's predicted that Lovejoy will decrease from magnitude +6.1 on January 1st to magnitude +8.6 on February 28th. Although no longer a naked eye object it remains visible in binoculars until at least the middle of February. Telescopes owners will be able to follow the comet for many more weeks after this.
For Northern Hemisphere observers, Lovejoy is visible fairly high towards the east before sunrise. As previously mentioned, Southern Hemisphere observers get their first look at the comet in February, although it will start off very low down towards the east before improving in altitude as the month progresses.
The finder charts below show the positions of Lovejoy from December 30, 2013 to February 24, 2014 and from December 16, 2013 to January 23, 2014.
Comet Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) Finder Chart from December 30, 2013 to February 24, 2014 - pdf format
Comet Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) Finder Chart from December 16, 2013 to January 23, 2014 - pdf format
C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) Data (at epoch September 23, 2013)
Name | C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) |
---|---|
Type | Comet |
Discoverer | Terry Lovejoy |
Discovery date | September 7, 2013 |
Aphelion (AU) | 678.767 |
Perihelion (AU) | 0.81161 |
Semi-major axis | 339.789 |
Eccentricity | 0.99761 |
Orbital period (years) | 6263.58 |
Inclination (degrees) | 64.0403 |
Longitude of ascending node (degrees) | 70.7012 |
Perihelion | December 25, 2013 |
Notes | Fourth comet discovered by Australian amateur astronomer Terry Lovejoy |
Comet Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) Data Table
Date | Right Ascension | Declination | Estimated Magnitude | Distance from Earth (AU) | Constellation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
19 Jan 2014 | 17h 56m 47s | 12d 23m 36s | 7.0 | 1.353 | Ophiuchus |
20 Jan 2014 | 17h 58m 03s | 12d 01m 03s | 7.1 | 1.365 | Ophiuchus |
21 Jan 2014 | 17h 59m 19s | 11d 38m 50s | 7.1 | 1.376 | Ophiuchus |
22 Jan 2014 | 18h 00m 32s | 11d 16m 58s | 7.2 | 1.387 | Ophiuchus |
23 Jan 2014 | 18h 01m 45s | 10d 55m 26s | 7.2 | 1.398 | Ophiuchus |
24 Jan 2014 | 18h 02m 56s | 10d 34m 14s | 7.3 | 1.409 | Ophiuchus |
25 Jan 2014 | 18h 04m 06s | 10d 13m 21s | 7.3 | 1.419 | Ophiuchus |
26 Jan 2014 | 18h 05m 14s | 09d 52m 47s | 7.4 | 1.429 | Ophiuchus |
27 Jan 2014 | 18h 06m 21s | 09d 32m 32s | 7.4 | 1.439 | Ophiuchus |
28 Jan 2014 | 18h 07m 27s | 09d 12m 35s | 7.5 | 1.448 | Ophiuchus |
29 Jan 2014 | 18h 08m 32s | 08d 52m 56s | 7.5 | 1.457 | Ophiuchus |
30 Jan 2014 | 18h 09m 35s | 08d 33m 34s | 7.6 | 1.466 | Ophiuchus |
31 Jan 2014 | 18h 10m 37s | 08d 14m 29s | 7.6 | 1.474 | Ophiuchus |
01 Feb 2014 | 18h 11m 38s | 07d 55m 41s | 7.7 | 1.482 | Ophiuchus |
02 Feb 2014 | 18h 12m 38s | 07d 37m 09s | 7.7 | 1.490 | Ophiuchus |
03 Feb 2014 | 18h 13m 36s | 07d 18m 52s | 7.7 | 1.497 | Ophiuchus |
04 Feb 2014 | 18h 14m 33s | 07d 00m 51s | 7.8 | 1.504 | Ophiuchus |
05 Feb 2014 | 18h 15m 29s | 06d 43m 05s | 7.8 | 1.511 | Ophiuchus |
06 Feb 2014 | 18h 16m 24s | 06d 25m 32s | 7.9 | 1.517 | Ophiuchus |
07 Feb 2014 | 18h 17m 17s | 06d 08m 14s | 7.9 | 1.523 | Ophiuchus |
08 Feb 2014 | 18h 18m 09s | 05d 51m 09s | 7.9 | 1.529 | Ophiuchus |
09 Feb 2014 | 18h 18m 60s | 05d 34m 17s | 8.0 | 1.535 | Ophiuchus |
10 Feb 2014 | 18h 19m 49s | 05d 17m 37s | 8.0 | 1.540 | Ophiuchus |
11 Feb 2014 | 18h 20m 37s | 05d 01m 10s | 8.1 | 1.545 | Ophiuchus |
12 Feb 2014 | 18h 21m 24s | 04d 44m 54s | 8.1 | 1.550 | Serpens Cauda |
13 Feb 2014 | 18h 22m 10s | 04d 28m 49s | 8.1 | 1.554 | Ophiuchus |
14 Feb 2014 | 18h 22m 54s | 04d 12m 56s | 8.2 | 1.558 | Ophiuchus |
15 Feb 2014 | 18h 23m 37s | 03d 57m 12s | 8.2 | 1.562 | Ophiuchus |
16 Feb 2014 | 18h 24m 19s | 03d 41m 39s | 8.3 | 1.566 | Ophiuchus |
17 Feb 2014 | 18h 24m 59s | 03d 26m 15s | 8.3 | 1.569 | Ophiuchus |
18 Feb 2014 | 18h 25m 38s | 03d 11m 00s | 8.3 | 1.572 | Ophiuchus |
19 Feb 2014 | 18h 26m 16s | 02d 55m 54s | 8.4 | 1.575 | Serpens Cauda |
20 Feb 2014 | 18h 26m 52s | 02d 40m 57s | 8.4 | 1.578 | Serpens Cauda |
21 Feb 2014 | 18h 27m 27s | 02d 26m 07s | 8.4 | 1.580 | Serpens Cauda |
22 Feb 2014 | 18h 28m 00s | 02d 11m 25s | 8.5 | 1.582 | Serpens Cauda |
23 Feb 2014 | 18h 28m 32s | 01d 56m 50s | 8.5 | 1.584 | Serpens Cauda |
24 Feb 2014 | 18h 29m 03s | 01d 42m 21s | 8.5 | 1.585 | Serpens Cauda |
25 Feb 2014 | 18h 29m 32s | 01d 27m 59s | 8.5 | 1.587 | Serpens Cauda |
26 Feb 2014 | 18h 29m 59s | 01d 13m 43s | 8.6 | 1.588 | Serpens Cauda |
27 Feb 2014 | 18h 30m 25s | 00d 59m 32s | 8.6 | 1.589 | Serpens Cauda |
28 Feb 2014 | 18h 30m 49s | 00d 45m 26s | 8.6 | 1.590 | Serpens Cauda |
See also
Comet Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) a January 2014 binocular comet
Comet Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) continues to impress into December 2013
Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) a naked eye Northern Hemisphere comet during December
Comet Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) remains a naked eye object, easy with binoculars
Comet Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) reaches naked eye brightness
Comet Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) visible with binoculars
Comet Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) now within small telescope range