[Ciaphas Cain]

Comet Hyakutake in March of '96 was way brighter than Hale-Bopp but it went really fast past Earth.

At closest approach that tail spread across half the night sky and you could literally SEE the comet moving against the background stars from one minute to the next. It was incredible.

[Alberta's Child]

As I remember it, Hale-Bopp was a massive comet but did not pass close enough to the earth to do itself any justice. Hyakutake was much smaller but passed closer to the earth than almost any other comet in the last several hundred years -- hence the brilliant tail that was readily visible in the sky.

Unfortunately for those of us in the northern hemisphere, we missed perhaps the most spectacular comet in our lifetimes -- Comet McNaught in 2007.

[PrairieLady2]

That was the most beautiful I’ve ever seen...and omg gorgeous through good binoculars. I took the my kids and a neighborhood kid to the lake where it was good and dark, to see it with the glasses although it showed up under city lights as well. Then the following year was halebop and so it was nice seeing a comet in the sky again. I love comets.

[grimalkin]

Wow!