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C/2002 V1 NEAT on Feb. 9th 2006 at 18.37 LT with the 8" F/6.3 S. Cass. This mag 3.4 bright comet was a beautiful sight in the evening twilight very close to the sun within the star fields of Pegasus. This comet was very blue in colour with a tail over 2 degrees long pointing to the NE. The coma was extremely condensed with sharp edges (D.C: 8) however because it was so close to our own star (elongation of 22 degrees) it was not seen with the naked eye.

Had it of been visible in a dark sky it would have been a lovely sight. The comets passage around the sun was captured by the SOHO orbiting space satellite which provided tremendous views and movie footage. It was suggested that mountain top observers could have seen this comet beside the sun during the daytime! I have always considered NEAT as my birthday comet as its appearance coincided with my birthday the following week.