However, the comet apparently became brighter during the period of December through February, with numerous visual magnitude estimates typically near 12, if not slightly brighter, during January. The coma diameter was then near 1.5 arcmin and CCD images were then revealing a diffuse tail. This image was taken by Stefano Sposetti on 1998 January 6.8. Celestron telescope and a Hi-SIS22 CCD camera. This is a composite of 60 30-second exposures.
North is up and east is left.