During December 2013, Comet Lovejoy was for most of the month visible to the naked eye and easily seen through binoculars and small telescopes in the morning sky from northern latitudes. Although it has now faded to 6th magnitude and at the very limit of naked eye visibility, the comet remains a binocular and telescope object as the New Year begins.
Location and star chart
On December 12th, Lovejoy crossed the boundary from Corona Borealis into Hercules traveling in a southeastern direction and although fading it was still at magnitude +5.0. The comet then remains in Hercules until January 14th, when it moves into Ophiuchus.
Lovejoy is expected to decrease in magnitude from +6.0 at the end of December to magnitude +7.6 on January 31st and then magnitude +8.6 at the end of February. Despite fading, the comet should remain within binocular and small telescope range during this time.
From northern temperate locations, Lovejoy is currently positioned reasonably high above the eastern horizon during the early hours of the morning. Observers located in the Southern Hemisphere won't be able to see Lovejoy until early February when it appears low down above the eastern horizon just before sunrise.
The finder charts below show the positions of comet Lovejoy from December 16, 2013 to January 23, 2014 and from December 2 to December 30, 2013.
Comet Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) Finder Chart from December 16, 2013 to January 23, 2014 - pdf format
Comet Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) Finder Chart from December 2 to December 30, 2013 - 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 25th, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Dec 2013 | 16h 38m 49s | 30d 10m 12s | 5.1 | 0.752 | Hercules |
| 16 Dec 2013 | 16h 43m 06s | 29d 29m 29s | 5.2 | 0.772 | Hercules |
| 17 Dec 2013 | 16h 47m 08s | 28d 49m 37s | 5.3 | 0.792 | Hercules |
| 18 Dec 2013 | 16h 50m 56s | 28d 10m 34s | 5.4 | 0.812 | Hercules |
| 19 Dec 2013 | 16h 54m 30s | 27d 32m 19s | 5.4 | 0.832 | Hercules |
| 20 Dec 2013 | 16h 57m 54s | 26d 54m 51s | 5.5 | 0.853 | Hercules |
| 21 Dec 2013 | 17h 01m 07s | 26d 18m 06s | 5.5 | 0.873 | Hercules |
| 22 Dec 2013 | 17h 04m 10s | 25d 42m 03s | 5.6 | 0.892 | Hercules |
| 23 Dec 2013 | 17h 07m 04s | 25d 06m 41s | 5.6 | 0.912 | Hercules |
| 24 Dec 2013 | 17h 09m 50s | 24d 31m 58s | 5.7 | 0.932 | Hercules |
| 25 Dec 2013 | 17h 12m 29s | 23d 57m 52s | 5.8 | 0.951 | Hercules |
| 26 Dec 2013 | 17h 15m 01s | 23d 24m 23s | 5.8 | 0.971 | Hercules |
| 27 Dec 2013 | 17h 17m 26s | 22d 51m 58s | 5.9 | 0.990 | Hercules |
| 28 Dec 2013 | 17h 19m 46s | 22d 19m 37s | 5.9 | 1.009 | Hercules |
| 29 Dec 2013 | 17h 22m 01s | 21d 47m 48s | 6.0 | 1.027 | Hercules |
| 30 Dec 2013 | 17h 24m 11s | 21d 16m 30s | 6.0 | 1.046 | Hercules |
| 31 Dec 2013 | 17h 26m 17s | 20d 45m 43s | 6.1 | 1.064 | Hercules |
| 01 Jan 2014 | 17h 28m 18s | 20d 15m 25s | 6.1 | 1.082 | Hercules |
| 02 Jan 2014 | 17h 30m 16s | 19d 45m 36s | 6.2 | 1.100 | Hercules |
| 03 Jan 2014 | 17h 32m 09s | 19d 16m 15s | 6.2 | 1.117 | Hercules |
| 04 Jan 2014 | 17h 33m 60s | 18d 47m 22s | 6.3 | 1.134 | Hercules |
| 05 Jan 2014 | 17h 35m 47s | 18d 18m 55s | 6.3 | 1.151 | Hercules |
| 06 Jan 2014 | 17h 37m 32s | 17d 50m 55s | 6.4 | 1.167 | Hercules |
| 07 Jan 2014 | 17h 39m 14s | 17d 23m 21s | 6.4 | 1.183 | Hercules |
| 08 Jan 2014 | 17h 40m 53s | 16d 56m 12s | 6.5 | 1.199 | Hercules |
| 09 Jan 2014 | 17h 42m 29s | 16d 29m 27s | 6.5 | 1.215 | Hercules |
| 10 Jan 2014 | 17h 44m 04s | 16d 03m 08s | 6.6 | 1.230 | Hercules |
| 11 Jan 2014 | 17h 45m 36s | 15d 37m 12s | 6.6 | 1.245 | Hercules |
| 12 Jan 2014 | 17h 47m 06s | 15d 11m 41s | 6.7 | 1.260 | Hercules |
| 13 Jan 2014 | 17h 48m 34s | 14d 46m 32s | 6.7 | 1.274 | Hercules |
| 14 Jan 2014 | 17h 50m 00s | 14d 21m 47s | 6.8 | 1.288 | Hercules |
| 15 Jan 2014 | 17h 51m 25s | 13d 57m 25s | 6.8 | 1.302 | Ophiuchus |
| 16 Jan 2014 | 17h 52m 48s | 13d 33m 25s | 6.9 | 1.315 | Ophiuchus |
| 17 Jan 2014 | 17h 54m 09s | 13d 09m 47s | 6.9 | 1.328 | Ophiuchus |
| 18 Jan 2014 | 17h 55m 29s | 12d 46m 31s | 7.0 | 1.340 | Ophiuchus |
| 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) remains visible with binoculars and small telescopes
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