I was able to observe C/2002 O7 (LINEAR) on Wednesday night during
astronomical twilight using the 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain at the
ASH Naylor Observatory. The comet, which was listed as being magnitude
9.6, was extremely faint and required averted vision and jogging the
telescope to be seen at all. It was located low in the southwest near
the mid-section of Leo at 11h00m, +10d11'. Magnifications used were
162, 202, and 259x.

Prior to that I saw another horizon-hugging shallow-sky object that
will soon be gone from view. Prismatic dispersion made old Jove even
more colorful than normal.

At 03:19 UT a bright Iridium flare (Iridium 57) took place in the
southwest. Immediately afterwards a rather bright meteor flashed
through Ophiuchus.

Dave Mitsky