Comet Hale-Bopp (C/1995 O1)
American astronomer Alan Hale, observing from Cloudcroft, New Mexico, and American beginner astronomer Thomas Bopp, observing close to Stanfield, Arizona, independently found Comet Hale-Bopp July 23, 1995. Each observers had been viewing the globular cluster M70 in Sagittarius and noticed the comet close by. Orbital calculations confirmed that on the night time they discovered it, Hale-Bopp lay some 7.2 astronomical items from the Solar, practically twice the standard discovery distance for comets. (One astronomical unit, or AU, is the typical distance between Earth and the Solar.)
Fortunately, in contrast to Comet Kohoutek, Comet Hale-Bopp brightened based on predictions. It first turned seen to the bare eye from the darkest websites Might 17, 1996, and remained so for 18 months, surpassing the outdated report of 9 months set by the Nice Comet of 1811. On March 7, 1997, Hale-Bopp reached magnitude 0. Two weeks later, it peaked at magnitude –0.8, which is brighter than any star besides Sirius (Alpha [α] Canis Majoris), with a tail that prolonged practically 20°. It was final seen with the bare eye Dec. 9, 1997.
Stating that Hale-Bopp is a long-period comet appears a little bit of an understatement. Its earlier perihelion was in July 2215 B.C., when it might have been noticed in Egypt. It should subsequent attain perihelion in 4385 or later.
