C/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang)
![[Comet Ikeya-Zhang in March and April 2002 : Size = 11933 bytes]](ikeya-zhang.gif)
Comet C/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang) was independently discovered on 1 February 2002 by Kaoru Ikeya of Japan, Daqing Zhang of China, and Paulo Raymundo of Brazil. It reaches perihelion on 18 March. Its eccentricity is 0.99, giving it a highly elliptical orbit, and it is inclined to the ecliptic at an angle of 28°. It is thought that this comet has visited the inner solar system before, most recently in 1661.
The comet attains naked-eye visibility during the months of March and April. The diagram above shows the comet at two day intervals, beginning on 1 March and going through April. At the start of the month of March, the comet is entering the constellation Pisces. It moves northwards, flying past the spiral galaxy M47 near the end of the month.
In early April, the comet skims past the spiral galaxy M31 in the constellation Andromeda. It continues northwest, flying past the famous variable star delta Cephei and ending up in the constellation Draco.
The comet is visible in the west just after sunset. From April, northern hemisphere observers should have a chance to see it in the northeast just before sunrise but it will have moved too far north for those in the southern hemisphere to view it.
Copyright © 1995-2002 by David Harper and L.M. Stockman