"Comet" year

2003 can be called a "comet" year, Andrej Solodovnik, head of North Kazakhstan State University chair said in his interview to KZ-today correspondent.

According to him, "recently the comet Koodo-Fujikava left the sky and a new one entitled С/2002 VI or NEAT appeared". This name was given to the comet by scientists because it was discovered by the NEAT space vehicle in November 2002, when it was approaching the Sun. The calculations showed that the "guest" came from the depths of the Solar system from a distance thousand times exceeding that from the Earth to the Sun. It will approach the Sun (at a distance of 15 million km) the most at 18 February.

According to A.Solodovnik, there is a big possibility that after its rapprochement with the centre of the Solar system the comet will not exist any more, its central body will evaporate. The new comet will be visible for an unaided eye in February. It will cross Pegasus, not far from its border with Pisces and Aquarius. The comet will be the most visible between 19 and 20 PM in the South West part of the sky. Currently its brightness is close to the maximum.

Its observations from the NKSU observatory started on 28 January.