After last month's dramatic swoop past theSun, Comet NEAT (C/2002 V1)appeared as a naked-eye comet,emerging from the evening twilight in planet Earth's southern skies.On March 1st,New Zealand photographer Noel Munford captured this telephoto view ofthe outbound comet close to the southwestern horizonagainst the faint stars of the constellatio Sculptor.He reports that the picture is a good representation of the comet'svisual appearance on that date and estimates the impressive tail to befive or six degrees long Discoveredlast November as part of th Near-Earth Asteroid Trackingprogram, there was some speculation that this comet would notsurvive its close encounter with the Sun However, Comet NEAT is no returning tothe outer solar system divingsouthward and fading fast.
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