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Re: (meteorobs) Check out The very latest SOHO images

> This got me thinking a bit about Hale-Bopp.  I didn't follow our celestial events as closely as I do now, but I was wondering how far before hand there was expectation that it would be a tremendous object.
 
    Hale-Bopp (C/1995 O1) was quite exceptional for a "new" comet in that it was discovered some 20 months before its perihelion on April 1, 1997. At discovery it was something like 7 A.U. away, and it was known early on that it was a very large comet.  
 
    The astronomical world had been abuzz about the incoming Great Comet of 1997 for some six months *before* the discovery of the Great Comet of *1996*, Hyakutake, which was discovered only a couple of months before its spectacular apparition a full year before that of Hale-Bopp. Which is more the norm for these things in my (limited compared to many people on this list) experience. 
 
    Of course, with almost all the new comets being named LINEAR and NEAT, the old norms really don't apply anymore. Great to see Mr. Bradfield's name back in the news. His latest find seems fairly exceptional at the other extreme, very short lead time for such a bright comet. IF it survives.
 
    regards, Bruce 
 
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