Comet Hale–Bopp

C/1995 O1 (Hale–Bopp)

Diskivery
Diskivert bi	Alan Hale / Thomas Bopp
Diskivery date	Julie 23, 1995
Alternative designations	The Great Comet o 1997, C/1995 O1
Orbital characteristics A
Epoch	2450460.5
Aphelion	370.8 AU
Perihelion	0.914 AU
Semi-major axis	186 AU
Eccentricity	0.995086
Orbital period	2520–2533 yr (Barycentric 2391 yr)
Inclination	89.4°
Last perihelion	Aprile 1, 1997
Next perihelion	~4385

Comet Hale–Bopp (formally designatit C/1995 O1) wis aiblins the maist widely observed comet o the 20t century an ane o the brichtest seen for mony decades. It wis visible tae the naked ee for a record 18 months, twice as lang as the previous record haulder, the Great Comet o 1811.

Hale–Bopp wis discovered on Julie 23, 1995, at a great distance frae the Sun, raisin expectations that the comet would brichten considerably bi the time it passed close tae Yird. Altho predictin the brichtness o comets wi ony degree o accuracy is very difficult, Hale–Bopp met or exceedit maist predictions when it passed perihelion on Aprile 1, 1997. The comet wis dubbed the Great Comet o 1997.