The brightest comet that can be seen in the night sky at the moment is comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2). At the end of December it was a superb binocular/telescope sight, faintly visible to naked eye as it moved through the southern constellations of Columba and Lepus. The comet then continued to brighten until peaking at magnitude +3.9 during closest approach to the Earth on January 7th. On this day it was 0.469 AU (70.2 million km or 43.6 million miles) distant from our planet and although the bright Moon somewhat interfered, the comet was easily visible with binoculars and small scopes as a large hazy circular patch of light. When imaged or photographed it displayed a long thin wispy green tail that extended over 10 degrees in length.
Now fading Lovejoy remains excellently placed for observation from the Northern Hemisphere during February. As the month progresses it's expected to fade from magnitude +4.8 to +6.3. For the first part of February the comet should still be visible to the naked eye and will remain an easy binocular and small telescope target for quite sometime to come.
From southern latitudes the comet maybe glimpsed low down above the northern horizon at the start of February. However, for these observers it isn't long before it disappears from view completely. On January 30, Lovejoy reaches perihelion (closest point to the Sun) at 1.2908 AU equivalent to 193.1 million kilometres or 120 million miles.
Location and star chart
During February, Lovejoy continues its northwesterly motion against the background stars. The comet starts the month in southeastern Andromeda close to the border with Triangulum and Perseus. On February 1st it's located 4 degrees southeast of star Almach (γ And - mag. +2.1) and is expected to shine at magnitude +4.8. Over the next few nights the comet moves closer to Almach and on February 5th the two objects are separated by only 0.5 degrees.
Although Lovejoy is now moving away from the Earth and heading into deep space it still moves reasonably quickly against the night sky backdrop. It's possible to notice its motion from one night to the next and even in a single observing session. On February 20th/21st the comet passes less than half a degree west of M76, the Little Dumbbell nebula in Perseus. At magnitude +10.1 and spanning 2.7 x 1.8 arc minutes this planetary nebula is one of the faintest, smallest and difficult objects in Messier's catalogue.
February offers an excellent opportunity for northern-based observers to follow comet Lovejoy. It based high in the sky and should be visible through binoculars or small scopes as a fading fuzzy nebulous patch of light that may even appear slightly greenish with a small tail.
The finder charts below show the positions of the comet from January 18th to March 1, 2015.
Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2) Finder Chart from January 28th to March 1, 2015 - pdf format
Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2) Finder Chart from January 18th to January 30th, 2015 - pdf format
C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) Data (at epoch December 9, 2014)
Name | C/2014 Q2 (Lovejoy) |
---|---|
Type | Comet |
Discoverer | Terry Lovejoy |
Discovery date | August 17, 2014 |
Perihelion (AU) | 1.29077 |
Eccentricity | 0.99809 |
Orbital period (years) | ~8000 |
Inclination (degrees) | 80.3021 |
Longitude of ascending node (degrees) | 94.9937 |
Perihelion | January 30th, 2015 |
Comet (C2014/Q2) Lovejoy Data Table
Date | Right Ascension | Declination | Mag. | Distance from Earth (AU) | Constellation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
January 28, 2015 | 02h 31m 08s | 35d 12m 32s | +4.6 | 0.697 | Triangulum |
January 29, 2015 | 02h 27m 42s | 36d 17m 21s | +4.6 | 0.716 | Triangulum |
January 30, 2015 | 02h 24m 25s | 37d 18m 50s | +4.7 | 0.734 | Triangulum |
January 31, 2015 | 02h 21m 15s | 38d 17m 13s | +4.8 | 0.752 | Andromeda |
February 01, 2015 | 02h 18m 14s | 39d 12m 43s | +4.8 | 0.771 | Andromeda |
February 02, 2015 | 02h 15m 21s | 40d 05m 32s | +4.9 | 0.790 | Andromeda |
February 03, 2015 | 02h 12m 35s | 40d 55m 53s | +5.0 | 0.809 | Andromeda |
February 04, 2015 | 02h 09m 56s | 41d 43m 55s | +5.1 | 0.828 | Andromeda |
February 05, 2015 | 02h 07m 24s | 42d 29m 48s | +5.1 | 0.848 | Andromeda |
February 06, 2015 | 02h 04m 59s | 43d 13m 42s | +5.2 | 0.867 | Andromeda |
February 07, 2015 | 02h 02m 40s | 43d 55m 46s | +5.2 | 0.887 | Andromeda |
February 08, 2015 | 02h 00m 28s | 44d 36m 08s | +5.3 | 0.906 | Andromeda |
February 09, 2015 | 01h 58m 21s | 45d 14m 54s | +5.3 | 0.926 | Andromeda |
February 10, 2015 | 01h 56m 20s | 45d 52m 13s | +5.4 | 0.945 | Andromeda |
February 11, 2015 | 01h 54m 24s | 46d 28m 10s | +5.4 | 0.965 | Andromeda |
February 12, 2015 | 01h 52m 34s | 47d 02m 51s | +5.5 | 0.984 | Andromeda |
February 13, 2015 | 01h 50m 49s | 47d 36m 22s | +5.5 | 1.004 | Andromeda |
February 14, 2015 | 01h 49m 08s | 48d 08m 49s | +5.6 | 1.023 | Perseus |
February 15, 2015 | 01h 47m 32s | 48d 40m 15s | +5.6 | 1.043 | Andromeda |
February 16, 2015 | 01h 46m 01s | 49d 10m 46s | +5.7 | 1.062 | Andromeda |
February 17, 2015 | 01h 44m 34s | 49d 40m 25s | +5.7 | 1.081 | Andromeda |
February 18, 2015 | 01h 43m 11s | 50d 09m 16s | +5.7 | 1.100 | Andromeda |
February 19, 2015 | 01h 41m 52s | 50d 37m 23s | +5.8 | 1.119 | Andromeda |
February 20, 2015 | 01h 40m 37s | 51d 04m 49s | +5.8 | 1.139 | Perseus |
February 21, 2015 | 01h 39m 26s | 51d 31m 37s | +5.9 | 1.157 | Perseus |
February 22, 2015 | 01h 38m 18s | 51d 57m 50s | +5.9 | 1.176 | Perseus |
February 23, 2015 | 01h 37m 14s | 52d 23m 30s | +6.0 | 1.195 | Perseus |
February 24, 2015 | 01h 36m 13s | 52d 48m 41s | +6.1 | 1.214 | Perseus |
February 25, 2015 | 01h 35m 15s | 53d 13m 24s | +6.1 | 1.232 | Perseus |
February 26, 2015 | 01h 34m 20s | 53d 37m 41s | +6.2 | 1.250 | Perseus |
February 27, 2015 | 01h 33m 28s | 54d 01m 34s | +6.2 | 1.269 | Perseus |
February 28, 2015 | 01h 32m 39s | 54d 25m 05s | +6.3 | 1.287 | Perseus |
March 01, 2015 | 01h 31m 52s | 54d 48m 16s | +6.4 | 1.304 | Cassiopeia |
March 02, 2015 | 01h 31m 08s | 55d 11m 09s | +6.4 | 1.322 | Cassiopeia |
March 03, 2015 | 01h 30m 27s | 55d 33m 44s | +6.5 | 1.340 | Cassiopeia |
March 04, 2015 | 01h 29m 48s | 55d 56m 04s | +6.5 | 1.357 | Cassiopeia |
March 05, 2015 | 01h 29m 11s | 56d 18m 09s | +6.6 | 1.375 | Cassiopeia |
March 06, 2015 | 01h 28m 37s | 56d 40m 01s | +6.7 | 1.392 | Cassiopeia |
March 07, 2015 | 01h 28m 05s | 57d 01m 41s | +6.7 | 1.409 | Cassiopeia |
March 08, 2015 | 01h 27m 34s | 57d 23m 10s | +6.8 | 1.426 | Cassiopeia |
March 09, 2015 | 01h 27m 06s | 57d 44m 30s | +6.8 | 1.442 | Cassiopeia |
March 10, 2015 | 01h 26m 40s | 58d 05m 40s | +6.9 | 1.459 | Cassiopeia |
March 11, 2015 | 01h 26m 16s | 58d 26m 43s | +7.0 | 1.475 | Cassiopeia |
March 12, 2015 | 01h 25m 54s | 58d 47m 39s | +7.0 | 1.491 | Cassiopeia |
March 13, 2015 | 01h 25m 33s | 59d 08m 29s | +7.1 | 1.507 | Cassiopeia |
March 14, 2015 | 01h 25m 14s | 59d 29m 14s | +7.1 | 1.523 | Cassiopeia |
March 15, 2015 | 01h 24m 57s | 59d 49m 54s | +7.2 | 1.538 | Cassiopeia |
March 16, 2015 | 01h 24m 42s | 60d 10m 31s | +7.3 | 1.554 | Cassiopeia |
March 17, 2015 | 01h 24m 28s | 60d 31m 05s | +7.3 | 1.569 | Cassiopeia |
March 18, 2015 | 01h 24m 16s | 60d 51m 36s | +7.4 | 1.584 | Cassiopeia |
March 19, 2015 | 01h 24m 05s | 61d 12m 06s | +7.4 | 1.599 | Cassiopeia |
March 20, 2015 | 01h 23m 56s | 61d 32m 35s | +7.5 | 1.614 | Cassiopeia |
March 21, 2015 | 01h 23m 48s | 61d 53m 04s | +7.6 | 1.628 | Cassiopeia |
March 22, 2015 | 01h 23m 41s | 62d 13m 33s | +7.6 | 1.643 | Cassiopeia |
March 23, 2015 | 01h 23m 36s | 62d 34m 03s | +7.7 | 1.657 | Cassiopeia |
March 24, 2015 | 01h 23m 32s | 62d 54m 34s | +7.7 | 1.671 | Cassiopeia |
March 25, 2015 | 01h 23m 29s | 63d 15m 06s | +7.8 | 1.685 | Cassiopeia |
March 26, 2015 | 01h 23m 27s | 63d 35m 40s | +7.9 | 1.698 | Cassiopeia |
March 27, 2015 | 01h 23m 26s | 63d 56m 17s | +7.9 | 1.712 | Cassiopeia |
March 28, 2015 | 01h 23m 26s | 64d 16m 56s | +8.0 | 1.725 | Cassiopeia |
March 29, 2015 | 01h 23m 27s | 64d 37m 39s | +8.0 | 1.738 | Cassiopeia |
March 30, 2015 | 01h 23m 30s | 64d 58m 24s | +8.1 | 1.751 | Cassiopeia |
March 31, 2015 | 01h 23m 33s | 65d 19m 14s | +8.1 | 1.764 | Cassiopeia |
See also
Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2) heads north during March, remains a binocular and small telescope object
How to see Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2) during January 2015
Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2) a naked eye comet for the New Year
Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2) now visible with binoculars from Southern latitudes