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May Comets. C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) and C/2002 T7 (LINEAR)

Two Bright Comets

Comets C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) and C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) were the object of early forecasts and were forecasted to appear like remarkable comets in May 2004 skies. JPL ephemerids however always downplayed slightly such announcements. CBAT/MPC e.g. was deeming C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) and C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) at 0.9 and 0.3 respectively, as JPL at 2.4 and 2. Recentest observation reports and news are showing that it is JPL forecasts that are to be held: both comets are binocular objects in city skies as they are naked-eye objects in the country. Hereunder are to be found data and figures about May comets as they were displayed on this site until May 2004's end. Theoretical data which were to be found about comets are now available at the tutorial "Comets"

Northern and Southern Hemisphere Show

See below how both comet are displaying in northern and southern hemisphere skies. Additional data about magnitudes are to be found on this dedicated page

In northern hemisphere, comet NEAT is appearing southwest as soon as May, 5th and is at its brightest (its maximum is on May, 5th). It will then rapidly rise above the horizon. NEAT will be 60° above the horizon by month's end. It will then have faded until magnitude 4.5. Since May, 26th, LINEAR will appear southwest, bright, rapidly climbing and fading. Both comets will provide a fine show in western twilight. Show is added by a planet display in this same region of sky (see more at Events, Moon, Planets). Very low East, comet LINEAR is fine to see until May, 8th only

top: NEAT and LINEAR general views (NEAT, western twilight until May, 26th (left), NEAT together with LINEAR, western twilight since May, 26th (right; NEAT top, LINEAR bottom)) bottom: NEAT and LINEAR path since May, 15th or May, 25th (NEAT left (May, 15th-31st), LINEAR, right (May, 25th-31st); ticks are from 2 days in 2 days, for 00:00 UT) (charts Cartes du Ciel by Patrick Chevalley)

In southern hemisphere, Comet NEAT is high in western twilight moving North at about the same height until May, 15th. After May, 15th NEAT is North as LINEAR is appearing West, at its brightest, quickly rising. Both comets become then fine objects seen together facing northwest and are keeping like that, although fading, until month's end. Until May, 18th, LINEAR is too a morning comet, East, bright. Hence until May, 15th southerners are granted with a western twilight (NEAT), and a dawn (LINEAR), comet as, between May, 15th and May, 18th, LINEAR will remarkably be visible rising in the western twilight at the same time it will still be visible as a morning comet

top: NEAT and LINEAR general views (LINEAR, morning comet until May, 18th (left), NEAT in western twilight until mid-May (center), and NEAT and LINEAR together northwest since May, 16th (right; NEAT top then right, LINEAR bottom then left)) bottom: NEAT and LINEAR paths since mid-May (NEAT (left), LINEAR (right); ticks are from 2 days in 2 days, for 00:00 UT) (charts Cartes du Ciel by Patrick Chevalley)

Observation Report: although less spectacular than forecasted, comets were fine targets however. Webmaster had the opportunity to be able to look at comet NEAT in northern hemisphere. It was a fine binocular object in urban skies as it was not visible naked-eye. NEAT was a fuzzy object, mostly with no tail (although one might be seen on May, 16th by indirect vision). NEAT became a more difficult object in small binoculars by month's end as it was about magnitude 4.5. This long path of the comet NEAT in western twilight was interesting in that sense that it provided casual comet observers with a mean to assess down to what magnitude they were able to spot a comet