The coma diameter was then about 3 arcmin across. The comet slowly faded during February and as March began most visual observers were estimating the magnitude as between 11.5 and 12. The coma was then slightly larger than 2 arcmin . This image was obtained by Yuichi Chimura of Japan on 1998 December 26. This image is a composite of several images obtained by Konrad Horn of Germany during the period of 1999 January 15 to 23, just prior to passing perihelion.
North is to the right and the comet's southward motion is plainly illustrated.
For most of first half of 1999, the comet continued to maintain its enhanced brightness for visual observers, although it finally dropped below magnitude 12 by the end of March, while the coma diameter had declined to 2 arcmin . May. By the middle of the latter month, when previous brightness prediction formulas indicated the comet would be faintly shining at magnitude 19.5, most visual observers were still reporting the comet was between 12.7 and 13.0.