Posted on 04/08/2022 2:14:22 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Explanation: Only twenty-five years ago, Comet Hale-Bopp rounded the Sun and offered a dazzling spectacle in planet Earth's night skies. Digitized from the original astrophoto on 35mm color slide film, this classic image of the Great Comet of 1997 was recorded a few days after its perihelion passage on April 1, 1997. Made with a camera and telephoto lens piggy-backed on a small telescope, the 10 minute long, hand-guided exposure features the memorable tails of Hale-Bopp, a whitish dust tail and blue ion tail. Here, the ion tail extends well over ten degrees across the northern sky. In all, Hale-Bopp was reported as visible to the naked eye from late May 1996 through September 1997. Also known as C/1995 O1, Hale-Bopp is recognized as one of the most compositionally pristine comets to pass through the inner Solar System. A visitor from the distant Oort cloud, the comet's next perihelion passage should be around the year 4380 AD. Do you remember Hale-Bopp?
For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.
What about Betty Boop? Oh, Bopp. Sorry.
Oh, I remember it vividly. What a thrill.
I climbed a water tower in high school to watch comet Kahoutech(?). It ended up cloudy.
I remember it too. First comet I could see with bare eyes!
It wasn’t Comet West in 1975, but, it was a GREAT comet!
When we were dating, I took my wife out to dinner and then we took photos of the comet. She didn’t complain. I figured she was a keeper at that point.
The comet in the spring of 1970, Comet Bennett, was amazing. I remember seeing it with a tail that seemed to cover half the early morning sky. There’s not been one with a bigger display since - that I know of, anyway.
http://www.cometography.com/lcomets/1969y1.html
Yep, you could actually see it and see it well
Since then there’s been a dozen or so comets that were declared the “Comet of the Century”, but they turned out to only be able to be seen if you were below -70 degree south latitude with 400x binoculars 10 minutes before sunrise.
The spaceship is coming. Keep your tennis shoes ready. /s
Oh, and the castration thing? It wasn’t necessary!
Heavens Gate SNL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeGjdSSFLMA
I got up in the middle of the night to go view it. Spectacular sight away from metropolitan light pollution.
I remember!
ya... and this is the best pic NASA can show of it!! lmao...
Unfortunately, he had to spoil the show!
A friend and I drove up to the Kiameechi Mts. to see it in all its glory for a couple nights. It was awesome.
Here, have some Jello..........................
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.