Media Information
 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Title:
Comet Hale-Bopp Fades
Explanation:
Comet Hale-Bopp has faded in the past few weeks. For Hale-Bopp [ http://newproducts.…], promised as the Great Comet of 1997, this was a bit of a disappointment -- but not entirely unexpected. Comet Hale-Bopp [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] continues to approach the Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] - making the comet itself brighten, but now the Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] is moving away from it - making the comet appear to dim. Experts disagree on just how bright Hale-Bopp [ http://encke.jpl.na…] will become. Optimists hope it will eventually outshine Comet Hyakutake [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], but some pessimists now expect no better than 3rd magnitude - hardly visible from well-lit cities [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. Comet Hale-Bopp [ http://www.eso.org/…] still appears to be, however, a very large comet, and is sure to show much activity as it nears the Sun. The comet should reach peak brightness in March 1997. [ http://newproducts.…] This image [ http://www.eso.org/…] was taken on August 18th and shows gas shed from the nucleus of the comet.
Credit and Copyright:
N. Thomas (MPI), H. Rauer (Obs. Paris) and H. Boehnhardt (U. Munchen), Danish 1.54m Telescope [ http://www.ls.eso.o…] (La Silla [ http://www.ls.eso.o…]), ESO [ http://http.hq.eso.…]
facet_when:
1997
facet_when:
March 1997
facet_where:
Paris
facet_where:
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_what:
Earth
facet_what:
ESO
facet_what:
Sun
facet_what:
COMETS
facet_what:
comet
facet_what:
Comet Hale-Bopp
facet_what:
Hale-Bopp Comet
facet_when_year:
1997
original url:
http://antwrp.gsfc.…
UID:
SPD-APOD-ap960917

Comet Hale-Bopp Fades
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