Comet Section

July 2, 2024 – ALPO Comet News for July 2024

This month’s ALPO Comet News will be shorter than usual. This is partly due to other commitments vying for my time and the fact that only four comets are expected to be brighter than magnitude 12 this month.

Halley-type comet 13P/Olbers will be the brightest comet of the month. Early July should see Olbers peak at around magnitude 6.6, and it will only be a few tenths of a magnitude fainter at the end of the month. It is only visible from the northern hemisphere low in the western evening sky. Joining Olbers in the evening sky for northern observers is C/2023 V4 (Camarasa-Duszanowicz), which should fade from 11th to 13th magnitude.

Southern observers will be able to observe the other returning Halley-type comet, 12P/Pons-Brooks. Now over two months past perihelion, Pons-Brooks is still experiencing outbursts, though fading from magnitude 8.0 to almost 10 in July.

C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) will be the main comet story for the remainder of 2024. Unfortunately, the comet continues its intrinsic fading that started around May 1st. Northern hemisphere observers will only be able to observe the comet through mid-July. Southern hemisphere observers will be able to follow the comet into August.

Last month, the ALPO Comets Section received 110 images and 95 magnitude estimates of 25 comets: C/2024 J1 (Wierzchos), C/2024 G3 (ATLAS), C/2024 G1 (Wierzchos), C/2024 F2 (PANSTARRS), C/2024 C4 (ATLAS), C/2024 A2 (ATLAS), C/2023 X1 (Leonard), C/2023 V4 (Camarasa-Duszanowicz), C/2023 C2 (ATLAS), C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), C/2022 L2 (ATLAS), C/2022 E2 (ATLAS), C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS), C/2021 G2 (ATLAS), C/2019 U5 (PANSTARRS), C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS), 227P/Catalina-LINEAR, 154P/Brewington, 144P/Kushida, 62P/Tsuchinshan, 32P/Comas Sola, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, 144P/Kushida, 13P/Olbers, and 12P/Pons-Brooks.

A big thanks to our recent contributors: Dan Bartlett, Dan Crowson, José J. Chambó, Jose Guilherme de Souza Aguiar, J. J. Gonzalez Suarez, Christian Harder, Carl Hergenrother, Eliot Herman, Rik Hill, Michael Jäger, John Maikner, Gianluca Masi, Michael Mattiazzo, Martin Mobberley, Mike Olason, Uwe Pilz, Gregg Ruppel, Chris Schur, Willian Souza, and Chris Wyatt.

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. A shorter version of this report is posted on a dedicated Cloudy Nights forum. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights.

June 2, 2024 – ALPO Comet News for June 2024

This month, the theme will be anti-tails as the Earth passes through the orbital planes of our two returning Halley-type comets. Images are already showing 12P/Pons-Brooks’ strong anti-tail, which will only get stronger as we approach the orbital plane crossing on June 7. 13P/Olbers will probably have a weaker anti-tail, but one should still be visible as we approach its orbital plane crossing on June 17.

At the start of June, Pons-Brooks will be the brightest comet in the sky, though it is only visible to southern observers. As the month progresses, it will fade to 8th magnitude and hand the title of brightest comet in the sky to Olbers which will brighten from 7th to 6th magnitude this month. Unlike Pons-Brooks, Olbers will be visible at northern latitudes but not at southern mid-latitudes.

The other big news comet is C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS). This comet has the potential to be a bright object this October but has recently undergone a fading over the past month or so. This doesn’t mean the comet is breaking up, at least not yet, but it does suggest caution with any predictions about its brightness going forward. Like many long-period comets, we’ll have to wait and see with Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. It will be visible to observers in both hemispheres in June and “should” brighten from 10th to 9th magnitude in the evening sky.

Three other comets are expected to be between magnitude 10 and 12. 479P/Elenin and C/2023 V4 (Camarasa-Duszanowicz) are in the evening sky, and C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS) is in the morning sky, though Camarasa-Duszanowicz and PANSTARRS are only visible from the northern hemisphere.

Last month, the ALPO Comets Section received 128 images and 246 magnitude estimates of 25 comets: C/2024 F2 (PANSTARRS), C/2023 V4 (Camarasa-Duszanowicz), C/2023 C2 (ATLAS), C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), C/2022 L2 (ATLAS), C/2022 E2 (ATLAS), C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS), C/2021 G2 (ATLAS), C/2020 K1 (PANSTARRS), C/2019 U5 (PANSTARRS), C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS), P/2020 WJ5 (Lemmon), 479P/Elenin, 362P/(457175) 2008 GO98, 349P/Lemmon, 251P/LINEAR, 217P/LINEAR, 209P/LINEAR, 144P/Kushida, 65P/Gunn, 62P/Tsuchinshan, 32P/Comas Sola, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, 13P/Olbers, and 12P/Pons-Brooks.

A big thanks to our recent contributors: Salvador Aguirre, Dan Bartlett, Dan Crowson, José J. Chambó, Jose Guilherme de Souza Aguiar, J. J. Gonzalez Suarez, Christian Harder, Carl Hergenrother, Eliot Herman, Rik Hill, Michael Jäger, John Maikner, Gianluca Masi, Michael Mattiazzo, Mike Olason, Ludovic Perbet, Uwe Pilz, Michael Rosolina, Gregg Ruppel, Chris Schur, Greg T. Shanos, Willian Souza, Tenho Tuomi, and Chris Wyatt.

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. A shorter version of this report is posted on a dedicated Cloudy Nights forum. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights.

May 4, 2024 – ALPO Comet News for May 2024

12P/Pons-Brooks reached its peak performance last month for northern hemisphere observers. The comet is still a 4th magnitude object as May begins but is only observable from the southern hemisphere, fading from 4th to 6th magnitude in the evening sky.

Northern observers currently have another Halley-type comet to themselves, as 13P/Olbers brightens from 8th to 7th magnitude in the evening sky. C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) is observable by all in the evening sky as it continues brightening at 9th magnitude.

Two fainter objects between 10th and 12th magnitude are also visible. 479P/Elenin is having its best apparition in any of our lifetimes and should be at 10th to 11th magnitude in the evening sky. While in the morning sky, C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS) is fading from 10th to 11th magnitude.

Last month, the ALPO Comets Section received 202 images and 109 magnitude estimates of 25 comets: C/2024 G1 (Wierzchos), C/2024 F2 (PANSTARRS), C/2024 C4 (ATLAS), C/2023 S3 (Lemmon), C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), C/2022 L2 (ATLAS), C/2022 E2 (ATLAS), C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS), C/2021 G2 (ATLAS), C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS), C/2020 K1 (PANSTARRS), C/2019 U5 (PANSTARRS), C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS), 479P/Elenin, 362P/(457175) 2008 GO98, 227P/Catalina-LINEAR, 144P/Kushida, 125P/Spacewatch, 65P/Gunn, 62P/Tsuchinshan, 37P/Forbes, 32P/Comas Sola, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, 13P/Olbers, 12P/Pons-Brooks.

A big thanks to our recent contributors: Salvador Aguirre, Anthony Amato, Michael Amato, Dan Bartlett, Dan Crowson, Jose Guilherme de Souza Aguiar, J. J. Gonzalez Suarez, Christian Harder, Carl Hergenrother, Eliot Herman, Rik Hill, Michael Jäger, John Maikner, Gianluca Masi, Efrain Morales Rivera, Mike Olason, Uwe Pilz, Gregg Ruppel, Chris Schur, Greg T. Shanos, Willian Souza, Tenho Tuomi, and Chris Wyatt.

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. A shorter version of this report is posted on a dedicated Cloudy Nights forum. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights.

April 2, 2024 – ALPO Comet News for April 2024

Halley-type comet 12P/Pons-Brooks arrives at perihelion this month after a 70-year journey since its last return in 1954. Though 4th magnitude this month, it will be a horizon-hugger in the evening sky. Northern hemisphere observers will be able to observe the comet until mid-month, while southern hemisphere observers will be able to pick it up at about the same time northerners lose sight of it.

Pons-Brooks isn’t the only Halley-type comet in the evening sky. Inbound 13P/Olbers is returning for the first time since 1956 and will brighten to 9th magnitude this month on its way to 7th magnitude in June and July.

Other comets in the sky this month are C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS) at 9-10th magnitude in the morning sky, fading 144P/Kushida at 11-12th magnitude in the evening, and C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) at 10th magnitude near opposition. Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is steadily brightening and may become a prominent naked-eye object in October.

Last month, the ALPO Comets Section received 160 images and 148 magnitude estimates of 24 comets: C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos), C/2023 H2 (Lemmon), C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), C/2022 W3 (Leonard), C/2022 E2 (ATLAS), C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS), C/2021 G2 (ATLAS), C/2020 V2 (ZTF), C/2020 K1 (PANSTARRS), C/2019 U5 (PANSTARRS), C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS), P/2014 VF40 (PANSTARRS), 479P/Elenin, 473P/NEAT, 207P/NEAT, 433P/(248370) 2005 QN173, 144P/Kushida, 62P/Tsuchinshan, 44P/Reinmuth, 32P/Comas Sola, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, 13P/Olbers, 12P/Pons-Brooks, and 10P/Tempel.

A big thanks to our recent contributors: Salvador Aguirre, Anthony Amato, Michael Amato, Dan Bartlett, Michel Besson, Denis Buczynski, Dan Crowson, Michel Deconinck, Jose Guilherme de Souza Aguiar, Uwe Glahn, Juan Jose Gonzalez Suarez, Christian Harder, Carl Hergenrother, Eliot Herman, Rik Hill, Michael Jäger, Manos Kardasis, Patrick Lemaitre, John Maikner, Gianluca Masi, Erwin Matys, Frank J Melillo, Karoline Mrazek, Gary T. Nowak, Michael Olason, Ludovic Perbet, Allan Rahill, Michael Rosolina, Gregg Ruppel, Chris Schur, Greg T. Shanos, Tenho Tuomi, and Christopher Wyatt.

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. A shorter version of this report is posted on a dedicated Cloudy Nights forum. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights.

March 1, 2024 – ALPO Comet News for March 2024

March will be all about comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, at least for those of us in the northern hemisphere. While the comet will be at perihelion and a bit brighter and more active in April, March will be the last month to observe the comet in a dark sky at a reasonable elevation. The comet starts March at 6th magnitude and could be as bright as 4th magnitude by the end of the month. I suspect that observers under a dark sky will report naked-eye observations. The comet is also proving to be very photogenic with a multi-degree long gas tail already easily imaged.

Pons-Brooks isn’t the only comet to observe in March. The following will be visible from both hemispheres. In the evening sky, we have 144P/Kushida fading from 9th to 11th magnitude. 12P/Pons-Brooks isn’t the only Halley-family comet in the evening sky. 13P/Olbers will be visible brightening from 11th to 10th magnitude.

Near opposition, 62P/Tsuchinshan will be fading from 10th to 13th magnitude. The morning sky sees two reasonably bright long-period comets; C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS) will be around 9th magnitude, and incoming C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) will brighten from 12th to 11th magnitude.

Last month, the ALPO Comets Section received 147 images and 71 magnitude estimates of 30 comets: C/2024 B2 (Lemmon), C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), C/2022 E2 (ATLAS), C/2021 T4 (Lemmon), C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS), C/2021 G2 (ATLAS), C/2020 V2 (ZTF), C/2020 S4 (PANSTARRS), C/2020 K1 (PANSTARRS), C/2019 U5 (PANSTARRS), C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS), 479P/Elenin, 475P/Spacewatch-LINEAR, 473P/NEAT, 244P/Scotti, 234P/LINEAR, 227P/Catalina-LINEAR, 216P/LINEAR, 207P/NEAT, 150P/LONEOS, 144P/Kushida, 121P/Shoemaker-Holt, 103P/Hartley, 65P/Gunn, 62P/Tsuchinshan, 37P/Forbes, 32P/Comas Sola, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, 13P/Olbers, and 12P/Pons-Brooks.

A big thanks to our recent contributors: Dan Bartlett, Michel Besson, Denis Buczynski, Dan Crowson, Michel Deconinck, Jose Guilherme de Souza Aguiar, Juan Jose Gonzalez Suarez, Eliot Herman, Michael Jäger, Christian Harder, Manos Kardasis, John Maikner, Gianluca Masi, Erwin Matys, Martin Mobberley, Karoline Mrazek, Mike Olason, Uwe Pilz, Greg Ruppel, Chris Schur, Gregory T. Shanos, Willian Souza, Tenho Tuomi, Russell Wheeler, and Christopher Wyatt.

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. A shorter version of this report is posted on a dedicated Cloudy Nights forum. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights.

February 1, 2024 – ALPO Comet News for February 2024

The comet of the month continues to be 12P/Pons-Brooks. Returning for the first time since 1954, Pons-Brooks has been delighting observers with a constant series of outbursts. While the object is currently only visible to northern observers, those who can see it will be able to watch it brighten from around magnitude 7.7 to 6.4 in the evening sky. Joining Pons-Brooks in the evening sky is another Halley-type comet, 13P/Olbers, making its first return since 1956. Olbers is also brightening but still faint at 11-12th magnitude this month. Closing out the evening comets is short-period 144P/Kushida, which was predicted to reach 8th magnitude but appears to have peaked at 10th magnitude.

In the morning sky are two comets, which should be at 9th magnitude, 62P/Tsuchinshan and C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS). Also, in the morning is C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), which could become a bright object later in the year and is now within visual range of large aperture telescopes at 12th magnitude.

Last month, the ALPO Comets Section received 146 images and 102 magnitude estimates of 30 comets: P/2023 S1, C/2023 H5 (Lemmon), C/2023 H2 (Lemmon), C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS), C/2022 L2 (ATLAS), C/2022 E2 (ATLAS), C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS), C/2021 G2 (ATLAS), C/2020 V2 (ZTF), C/2020 K1 (PANSTARRS), C/2019 U5 (PANSTARRS), C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS), 227P/Catalina-LINEAR, 226P/Pigott-LINEAR-Kowalski, 216P/LINEAR, 207P/NEAT, 194P/LINEAR, 176P/LINEAR, 170P/Christensen, 150P/LONEOS, 144P/Kushida, 126P/IRAS, 105P/Singer Brewster, 103P/Hartley, 62P/Tsuchinshan, 39P/Oterma, 32P/Comas Sola, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, 13P/Olbers, and 12P/Pons-Brooks.

A big thanks to our recent contributors: Denis Buczynski, Dan Crowson, Michel Deconinck, Jose Guilherme de Souza Aguiar, Juan Jose Gonzalez Suarez, Eliot Herman, Michael Jäger, Christian Harder, Manos Kardasis, John Maikner, Gianluca Masi, Erwin Matys, Martin Mobberley, Karoline Mrazek, Mike Olason, Uwe Pilz, Greg Ruppel, Chris Schur, Gregory T. Shanos, Willian Souza, and Christopher Wyatt.

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. A shorter version of this report is posted on a dedicated Cloudy Nights forum. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights.

December 31, 2023 – ALPO Comet News for January 2024

Happy New Year! The start of 2024 sees the action dominated by returning comets. The brightest comet of the month should be the Halley-family comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, which is returning for the first time since 1954 and will brighten to 7th magnitude by the end of January. 12P has experienced a number of major outbursts, which recently seem to be occurring at a two-week cadence. Sharing the evening sky with 12P is short-period comet 144P/Kushida brightening to 8th magnitude. Also around 8th magnitude, but in the morning sky, is short-period comet 62P/Tsuchinshan. The only relatively bright long-period comet is C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS), which may reach 9th magnitude and is in the morning sky before dawn.

Last month, the ALPO Comets Section received 131 images and 105 magnitude estimates of 33 comets: C/2023 X2 (Lemmon), C/2023 X1 (Leonard), C/2023 T3 (Fuls), C/2023 S3 (Lemmon), C/2023 P1 (Nishimura), C/2023 H2 (Lemmon), C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS), C/2022 JK5 (PANSTARRS), C/2022 E2 (ATLAS), C/2021 X1 (Maury-Attard), C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS), C/2021 G2 (ATLAS), C/2021 A9 (PANSTARRS), C/2020 V2 (ZTF), C/2020 K1 (PANSTARRS), C/2019 U5 (PANSTARRS), C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS), 471P, 470P/PANSTARRS, 378P/McNaught, 226P/Pigott-LINEAR-Kowalski, 207P/NEAT, 170P/Christensen, 144P/Kushida, 126P/IRAS, 103P/Hartley, 62P/Tsuchinshan, 32P/Comas Sola, 30P/Reinmuth, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, 13P/Olbers, and 12P/Pons-Brooks.

A big thanks to our recent contributors: Dan Bartlett, Todd Bossaller, Denis Buczynski, Dan Crowson, Michel Deconinck, J. J. Gonzalez Suarez, Christian Harder, Carl Hergenrother, Eliot Herman, Michael Jäger, Manos Kardasis, Martin Mobberley, Mike Olason, Uwe Pilz, Greg Ruppel, Chris Schur, Gregory T. Shanos, Willian Souza, Tenho Tuomi, and Chris Wyatt.

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. A shorter version of this report is posted on a dedicated Cloudy Nights forum. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights.

December 3, 2023 – ALPO Comet News for December 2023

2023 ends with several comets brighter than magnitude 10. The most newsworthy is inbound Halley-type comet 12P/Pons-Brooks. Though still months from its April perihelion, its major outbursts have brightened it to 8-9th magnitude. Northern observers can catch 12P in the evening sky. Southern observers will be able to watch another evening comet as C/2023 H2 (Lemmon) rapidly fades from 9th to 12th magnitude after its close approach to Earth last month.

In the morning sky, 62P/Tsuchinshan will peak at around 8th magnitude while 103P/Hartley will be fading from 9th to 11th magnitude. Two other comets, 144P/Kushida and C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS), will be brightening this month, with both around magnitude 10 by New Year’s and still brightening into 2024.

On December 9 at 35.14 au, comet 1P/Halley arrives at aphelion. The comet will now start its long trek to its next perihelion in 2061!

Last month, the ALPO Comets Section received 187 observations of comets C/2023 P1 (Nishimura), C/2023 V5 (Leonard), P/2023 S1, C/2023 H2 (Lemmon), C/2022 U3 (Bok), C/2022 QE78 (ATLAS), C/2022 E2 (ATLAS), C/2020 V2 (ZTF), C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS), 12P/Pons-Brooks, 13P/Olbers, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, 32P/Comas Sola, 62P/Tsuchinshan, 103P/Hartley, 143P/Kowal-Mrkos, 144P/Kushida, 170P/Christensen, 195P/Hill, 209P/LINEAR, 227P/Catalina-LINEAR, 246P/NEAT, 310P/Hill, 404P/Bressi, and 465P/Hill.

A big thanks to our recent contributors: Dan Bartlett, Denis Buczynski, Jose Guilherme de Souza Aguiar, Jef de Wit, Michel Deconinck, J. J. Gonzalez Suarez, Christian Harder, Carl Hergenrother, Eliot Herman, Michael Jäger, John Maikner, Martin Mobberley, Efrain Morales Rivera, Mike Olason, Uwe Pilz, Michael Rosolina, Greg Ruppel, Chris Schur, Willian Souza, Tenho Tuomi, and Chris Wyatt.

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. A shorter version of this report is posted on a dedicated Cloudy Nights forum. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights.

November 2, 2023 – ALPO Comet News for November 2023

November sees several comets within range of small apertures. C/2023 H2 (Lemmon) will pass 0.19 au from Earth this month, possibly brightening to around 6-7th magnitude as it flies across the evening sky from Ursa Major to Grus. In the morning sky, two short-period comets are on display: 62P/Tsuchinshan as it brightens from 10th to 8th magnitude and 103P/Hartley fading from 8th to 9th magnitude.

A little fainter is inbound Halley-type comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, now being hyped in the press as the “Devil Comet.” As was the case during its last two returns in 1884 and 1954, Pons-Brooks is experiencing a series of outbursts, with the most recent major outburst occurring on October 31/November 1. November will see this northern evening comet brightening from 11th to 10th magnitude.

Last month the ALPO Comets Section received 202 observations of comets C/2023 S2 (ATLAS), C/2023 H2 (Lemmon), C/2023 E1 (ATLAS), C/2022 JK5 (PANSTARRS), C/2022 A2 (PANSTARRS), C/2021 X1 (Maury-Attard), C/2021 S4 (Tsuchinshan), C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS), C/2020 V2 (ZTF), C/2020 K1 (PANSTARRS), C/2018 A6 (Gibbs), C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS), 471P/2010 YK3, 358P/PANSTARRS , 279P/La Sagra, 225P/LINEAR, 212P/NEAT, 207P/NEAT, 170P/Christensen, 144P/Kushida, 126P/IRAS, 103P/Hartley, 62P/Tsuchinshan, 32P/Comas Sola, 30P/Reinmuth, 30P/Reinmuth, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, 12P/Pons-Brooks, and 2P/Encke. A big thanks to our August contributors: Dan Bartlett, Michel Besson, Denis Buczynski, Dan Crowson, Jose Guilherme de Souza Aguiar, Michel Deconinck, J. J. Gonzalez Suarez, Christian Harder, Carl Hergenrother, Eliot Herman, Michael Jäger, Manos Kardasis, John Maikner, Gianluca Masi, Martin Mobberley, Philippe Morel, Mike Olason, Uwe Pilz, Greg Ruppel, Chris Schur, Tenho Tuomi, and Chris Wyatt.

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. A shorter version of this report is posted on a dedicated Cloudy Nights forum. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights.

October 5, 2023 – ALPO Comet News for October 2023

After the excitement of C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) last month, you might think October will be a little less eventful for comet watchers. While it is true that October won’t deliver a 2nd to 4th magnitude comet like Nishimura was its brightest, there are a large number of comets expected to be brighter than 10th magnitude.

Short-period comets 2P/Encke and 103P/Hartley will be nice 7th to 8th magnitude objects in the morning sky. C/2023 H2 (Lemmon) is a bit of a wild card but could rival Encke and Hartley this month. One of next year’s highlights is in the news again as 12P/Pons-Brooks has experienced yet another multi-magnitude outburst, though whether it will be brighter than 11th magnitude this month is still to be seen.

Last month the ALPO Comets Section received 244 observations of comets C/2023 P1 (Nishimura), C/2023 H2 (Lemmon), C/2023 E1 (ATLAS), C/2022 JK5 (PANSTARRS), C/2022 A2 (PANSTARRS), C/2021 X1 (Maury-Attard), C/2021 T4 (Lemmon), C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS), C/2020 V2 (ZTF), C/2020 K1 (PANSTARRS), C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS), 311P/PANSTARRS, 237P/LINEAR, 202P/Scotti, 126P/IRAS, 103P/Hartley, 30P/Reinmuth, 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann, 13P/Olbers, 12P/Pons-Brooks, 2P/Encke. A big thanks to our August contributors: Dan Bartlett, Michel Besson, Denis Buczynski, Dan Crowson, Jose Guilherme de Souza Aguiar, Michel Deconinck, J. J. Gonzalez Suarez, Christian Harder, Scott Harrington, Carl Hergenrother, Eliot Herman, Michael Jäger, John Maikner, Gianluca Masi, Martin Mobberley, Mike Olason, Uwe Pilz, Ludovic Prebet, Michael Rosolina, Greg Ruppel, Chris Schur, Tenho Tuomi, and Chris Wyatt.

The monthly ALPO Comet News PDF can be found here. A shorter version of this report is posted on a dedicated Cloudy Nights forum. All are encouraged to join the discussion over at Cloudy Nights.

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