APOD April 9 2017: Comet Hale-Bopp Over Val Parola Pass

[beam me up scottie]

Comet Hale-Bopp Over Val Parola Pass
Image Credit & Copyright: A. Dimai, (Col Druscie Obs.), AAC

Explanation: Comet Hale-Bopp, the Great Comet of 1997, became much brighter than any surrounding stars. It was seen even over bright city lights. Away from city lights, however, it put on quite a spectacular show. Here Comet Hale-Bopp was photographed above Val Parola Pass in the Dolomite mountains surrounding Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Comet Hale-Bopp's blue ion tail, consisting of ions from the comet's nucleus, is pushed out by the solar wind. The white dust tail is composed of larger particles of dust from the nucleus driven by the pressure of sunlight, that orbit behind the comet. Comet Hale-Bopp (C/1995 O1) remained visible to the unaided eye for 18 months -- longer than any other comet in recorded history. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Comet Hale-Bopp's last trip to the inner Solar System. The large comet is next expected to return around the year 4385.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170409.html

[Warpy]

1. That one was so bright it was visible from hospital rooms over the mountains

in the middle of the city with crime lights all around.

Pollution in Boston had obscured just about everything but jets going overhead. I didn't see the stars but two or three times when I lived there.

[beam me up scottie]

2. We were fortunate to see Hale-Bopp since it won't be back for a long time.

I'm already looking forward to this month's Lyrid meteor shower and the solar eclipse in August.

[virtualobserver]

3. since I was a child I had looked forward to seeing Halley's comet.......

and it was such a disappointment.

I could barely believe Hale-Bopp when it arrived.

It has been so many years since I have seen a really good meteor shower.......I've never even heard of Lyrid.

[beam me up scottie]

4. Last year's Perseid meteor shower was incredible.

It was cloudy here for the Quadrantid shower in January so I missed those. One of the perks of living out in the boonies is low light pollution so I always schedule a few hours to star gaze when meteors are in the forecast.

[littlemissmartypants]

5. ♡ beam me up scottie thanks ♡