Comet C/2001 Q4 Neat was discovered on August 4, 2001 by the Near Earth Asteroid Tracking Team (NEAT). This comet spent most of its time in the southern hemisphere until May 2004 when it went North and brightened.
Comet C/2001 Q4 NEAT, came within 0.34 astronomical units (au) of earth. It reached perihelion (closest approach in it’s orbit) on May 15, 2004 . This hyperbolic comet will be flung out of our solar system, never to be seen again.
AU or Astronomical Unit (roughly earth’s distance from the sun) 93,000,000 miles.
I was lucky to have a clear May night in Oregon to image Comet C/2001 Q4 Neat May 24, 2004.