Reports from Geisei Observatory <December 16, 2001>

• Photograph of a jet from C/2000 WM1(LINEAR)
LINEAR (C/2000 WM1) has finally reached the southern horizon. It was barely visible to the naked eye at magnitude 5.1 at the brightest. The tail was one-degree long. On December 13, a thin string-like jet was visible streaming in the opposite direction from the sun. It was at least one-degree long. An artificial satellite trail crossed the image of the comet. During the exposure for this photograph, many planes crossed the field resulting in frequent interruptions, as the evening southern skies are cut across by flight paths of airplanes departing from and arriving at Kochi Airport.
This condition normally lasts until 21.00.

C/2000 WM1(LINEAR)
19.00 on December 13, 2001
12-minute exposure by the 60cm telescope.