![[Comet C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) in March-June 2004 : Size = 11777 bytes]](c2002t7.gif)
Comet C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) was discovered on 14 October 2002 by the Lincoln Laboratory Near-Earth Asteroid Research. An eccentricity of just over 1.0 means that this comet is on a hyperbolic course through the inner solar system. Its inclination is approximately 160° so it cuts through the ecliptic at a shallow angle. Perihelion occurs on 23 April.
The chart above shows the track of Comet C/2002 T7 (LINEAR), plotted at three-day intervals, from the beginning of March through to the end of June. Original estimates had the comet reaching naked-eye visibility by mid-March and getting as bright as first magnitude in May. However, the comet is not brightening as quickly as originally thought and may get no brighter than third magnitude. Predicting comet magnitudes is clearly fraught with danger!
The best views of this comet will be before perihelion in the northern hemisphere and from April through June in the southern hemisphere.
| Month | Location | Original Magnitude | Revised Magnitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| March | Pisces | 6 -> 4 | 7 -> 6 |
| April | Pisces | 4 -> 2 | 6 -> 4 |
| May | Cetus -> Eridanus -> Lepus -> Canis Major | 2 -> 0 -> 3 | 4 -> 2 -> 5 |
| June | Hydra | 3 -> 7 | 5 -> 9 |
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