the Hale-Bopp Comet

Hale-Bopp was a bright, spectacular comet visible to the naked eye in 1997, one of the most observed comets of the 20th century. It is a "long-period" comet, meaning it takes thousands of years to orbit the Sun. Comets like Hale-Bopp are made mostly of ice, dust, and organic compounds. When they approach the Sun, the heat causes the ice to vaporize, creating a glowing envelope called a coma and often a tail that streams away from the Sun. Its brightness and visibility made it a cultural phenomenon, offering a rare glimpse into the early solar system's makeup.