Comets Currently Visible

Last Updated: 12 March 1997

This page provides a quick summary of comets that can be observed visually. Positions for the comets discussed below are given on the Ephemerides Page. Current information and observations of these comets are also summarized. Images for some comets can be found on the Images Page.

Long-Period Comets

C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp)

C/1997 D1 (Mueller)

Short-Period Comets

46P/Wirtanen

81P/Wild 2

118P/Shoemaker-Levy 4

121P/Shoemaker-Holt 2

C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp)

This super-star comet is visible in the early morning for Northern Hemisphere observers. It will remain a morning object until the end of March. For a couple of weeks in mid-March it will be easily visible in both the morning and evening. By the last half of March the comet will be an evening object. For High latitude (>~45 deg N) observers, the comet will become circumpolar (visible all night). It is currently m1-0.3. Details on this comet are provided for the non-astronomer. This page also includes some information of interest to astronomers.

C/1997 D1 (Mueller)

This comet is well-placed for Northern hemisphere observers at ~+50 degrees. The comet will brighten very slowly over the next couple of months. The comet is currently about magnitude 13.5.

46P/Wirtanen

This comet is low in the evening sky. The comet is currently about 9.6 magnitude, which should be close to its peak brightness. (Perihelion is on March 14, 1997.) It will slowly drift northward into May reaching +30 degrees in mid-May.

81P/Wild 2

This comet is well-placed for observation most of the night, with Northern Hemisphere observers somewhat favored. The comet is currently about magnitude ~9.5 The comet should remain this peak brightness and well-placed into May. Perihelion is on May 5, 1997.

118P/Shoemaker-Levy 4

This comet is well-placed for observation in the middle of the night. It has faded from its peak brightness of 12th magnitude and is now ~13.5. It should remain visible into April 1997 as it moves slowly northward.

121P/Shoemaker-Holt 2

This comet is well-placed for observation. The comet is currently near its peak brightness of ~14 magnitude.

Go To:

Information on Comet Hale-Bopp for the Non-Astronomer

Recent News and Observations

Comet Light Curves

Ephemerides for Current Visually Observable Comets

Comet Definitions

Other Sources of Comet Information

Comet Images

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