Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) now fading as it recedes from Earth. Currently moving through the far northern constellations. Remains visible with binoculars and small telescopes.

It's now time for the final swan song for comet Catalina as it heads into deep space and not to be seen for a very long time again, if ever. On January 17th, the comet made its closest approach to Earth and was easily visible with binoculars in the constellation of Ursa Major more commonly known as the Plough or Big Dipper. At magnitude +6.2, it appeared as a fuzzy smudge of light and was clearly non-stellar in nature.

Although now fading, Catalina will remain within the range of telescopes for a few more weeks to come. It may also be seen with binoculars although for a shorter time period. The advantage for most living in the Northern Hemisphere is that the comet is now circumpolar and therefore visible all night long. It can be seen towards the northern part of the sky during early evenings close to Ursa Major. On January 25th, Catalina passes close by elliptical galaxy NGC 4589. This galaxy shines at magnitude +10.7 and therefore requires a medium or large size scope to be seen. For comparison, the comet will be 40x brighter than the galaxy. During the last week of January the bright Moon will somewhat interfere with viewing. Catalina then heads southwards spending all of February moving through the faint constellation of Camelopardalis. It remains well placed in the evening sky from northern latitudes although from mid southern locations it can no longer be seen.

The finder charts below show the positions of Catalina from January 9th to February 12th, 2016.

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) Finder Chart from January 30th to February 12th, 2016 - pdf format (credit:- freestarcharts)

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) Finder Chart from January 22nd to January 31st, 2016 - pdf format (credit:- freestarcharts)

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) Finder Chart from January 15th to January 22nd, 2016 - pdf format (credit:- freestarcharts)

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) Finder Chart from January 9th to January 16th, 2016 - pdf format (credit:- freestarcharts)

(C/2013 US10) Catalina Data (at epoch November 15, 2014)

Name C/2013 US10 (Catalina) Type Comet Discoverer Catalina Sky Survey Discovery date October 31, 2013 Perihelion (AU) 0.82290 Eccentricity 1.00040 Orbital period (years) unknown Inclination (degrees) 148.8733 Longitude of ascending node (degrees) 186.1371 Perihelion November 15th, 2015

(C/2013 US10) Catalina Data Table

01-Jan-2016 14h 13m 59s 18d 21m 48s 6.4 0.898 Boötes 02-Jan-2016 14h 13m 28s 20d 04m 29s 6.4 0.880 Boötes 03-Jan-2016 14h 12m 53s 21d 51m 41s 6.4 0.863 Boötes 04-Jan-2016 14h 12m 13s 23d 43m 30s 6.3 0.846 Boötes 05-Jan-2016 14h 11m 28s 25d 40m 01s 6.3 0.830 Boötes 06-Jan-2016 14h 10m 37s 27d 41m 18s 6.3 0.815 Boötes 07-Jan-2016 14h 09m 40s 29d 47m 20s 6.3 0.800 Boötes 08-Jan-2016 14h 08m 35s 31d 58m 03s 6.3 0.787 Boötes 09-Jan-2016 14h 07m 22s 34d 13m 22s 6.3 0.775 Canes Venatici 10-Jan-2016 14h 05m 59s 36d 33m 03s 6.3 0.764 Canes Venatici 11-Jan-2016 14h 04m 24s 38d 56m 52s 6.3 0.754 Canes Venatici 12-Jan-2016 14h 02m 36s 41d 24m 25s 6.3 0.746 Canes Venatici 13-Jan-2016 14h 00m 32s 43d 55m 16s 6.3 0.738 Canes Venatici 14-Jan-2016 13h 58m 11s 46d 28m 54s 6.3 0.733 Canes Venatici 15-Jan-2016 13h 55m 28s 49d 04m 41s 6.3 0.729 Ursa Major 16-Jan-2016 13h 52m 21s 51d 41m 54s 6.2 0.726 Ursa Major 17-Jan-2016 13h 48m 43s 54d 19m 49s 6.2 0.725 Ursa Major 18-Jan-2016 13h 44m 28s 56d 57m 34s 6.2 0.725 Ursa Major 19-Jan-2016 13h 39m 30s 59d 34m 18s 6.3 0.727 Ursa Major 20-Jan-2016 13h 33m 36s 62d 09m 04s 6.3 0.731 Ursa Major 21-Jan-2016 13h 26m 34s 64d 40m 54s 6.4 0.736 Draco 22-Jan-2016 13h 18m 05s 67d 08m 46s 6.4 0.743 Draco 23-Jan-2016 13h 07m 46s 69d 31m 34s 6.5 0.751 Ursa Minor 24-Jan-2016 12h 55m 03s 71d 48m 02s 6.5 0.761 Draco 25-Jan-2016 12h 39m 12s 73d 56m 43s 6.6 0.772 Draco 26-Jan-2016 12h 19m 14s 75d 55m 44s 6.7 0.785 Draco 27-Jan-2016 11h 53m 53s 77d 42m 41s 6.7 0.799 Camelopardalis 28-Jan-2016 11h 21m 47s 79d 14m 21s 6.7 0.814 Draco 29-Jan-2016 10h 41m 53s 80d 26m 41s 6.8 0.830 Draco 30-Jan-2016 09h 54m 33s 81d 15m 18s 6.8 0.848 Draco 31-Jan-2016 09h 02m 43s 81d 37m 01s 6.9 0.866 Camelopardalis 01-Feb-2016 08h 11m 30s 81d 31m 57s 6.9 0.886 Camelopardalis 02-Feb-2016 07h 25m 41s 81d 04m 02s 7.0 0.906 Camelopardalis 03-Feb-2016 06h 47m 34s 80d 19m 17s 7.1 0.928 Camelopardalis 04-Feb-2016 06h 17m 07s 79d 23m 32s 7.2 0.950 Camelopardalis 05-Feb-2016 05h 53m 09s 78d 21m 19s 7.2 0.973 Camelopardalis 06-Feb-2016 05h 34m 15s 77d 15m 49s 7.3 0.997 Camelopardalis 07-Feb-2016 05h 19m 16s 76d 09m 07s 7.4 1.021 Camelopardalis 08-Feb-2016 05h 07m 14s 75d 02m 33s 7.5 1.046 Camelopardalis 09-Feb-2016 04h 57m 29s 73d 56m 58s 7.6 1.072 Camelopardalis 10-Feb-2016 04h 49m 29s 72d 52m 56s 7.6 1.098 Camelopardalis 11-Feb-2016 04h 42m 52s 71d 50m 46s 7.7 1.124 Camelopardalis 12-Feb-2016 04h 37m 21s 70d 50m 40s 7.8 1.151 Camelopardalis 13-Feb-2016 04h 32m 43s 69d 52m 43s 7.9 1.179 Camelopardalis 14-Feb-2016 04h 28m 48s 68d 56m 59s 7.9 1.207 Camelopardalis 15-Feb-2016 04h 25m 28s 68d 03m 25s 8.0 1.235 Camelopardalis 16-Feb-2016 04h 22m 39s 67d 12m 02s 8.1 1.263 Camelopardalis 17-Feb-2016 04h 20m 14s 66d 22m 45s 8.1 1.292 Camelopardalis 18-Feb-2016 04h 18m 10s 65d 35m 30s 8.2 1.321 Camelopardalis 19-Feb-2016 04h 16m 25s 64d 50m 14s 8.3 1.350 Camelopardalis 20-Feb-2016 04h 14m 55s 64d 06m 51s 8.4 1.380 Camelopardalis 21-Feb-2016 04h 13m 38s 63d 25m 17s 8.4 1.409 Camelopardalis 22-Feb-2016 04h 12m 34s 62d 45m 28s 8.5 1.439 Camelopardalis 23-Feb-2016 04h 11m 39s 62d 07m 18s 8.6 1.469 Camelopardalis 24-Feb-2016 04h 10m 54s 61d 30m 44s 8.6 1.499 Camelopardalis 25-Feb-2016 04h 10m 17s 60d 55m 40s 8.7 1.530 Camelopardalis 26-Feb-2016 04h 09m 47s 60d 22m 03s 8.8 1.560 Camelopardalis 27-Feb-2016 04h 09m 24s 59d 49m 48s 8.8 1.591 Camelopardalis 28-Feb-2016 04h 09m 06s 59d 18m 52s 8.9 1.621 Camelopardalis 29-Feb-2016 04h 08m 54s 58d 49m 10s 9.0 1.652 Camelopardalis

See also

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) moves past Kemble's Cascade during the last week of February 2016. Visible with binoculars and small telescopes from northern and tropical latitudes.

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) remains visible with binoculars and small telescopes at it moves northwards. This month offers the last good chance to catch a glimpse before it fades significantly.

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) moves past Arcturus as it heads north during January. Remains visible with binoculars and small telescopes.

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) remains an early morning binocular and small telescope object

Catalina (C/2013 US10) an early morning binocular and small telescope comet

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) edges towards naked eye visibility

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) remains visible in the evening from Southern and Equatorial Latitudes during September 2015

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) now visible with binoculars from Southern and Equatorial Latitudes

