Comet Hale-Bopp Images - February 1997

172K 95K
Observers: M. Serra-Ricart, A. Oscoz, E. Mediavilla
Location: La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
Date: February 4, 1997

The image was taken at the Auxiliary Port of the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope of el Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain). The image is approximately 50 arcseconds across and shows a region of the comet 70 000 kilometers in diameter. A broad-band R filter was used for the observation and an exposure time of just two seconds. A complex series of twisted and spiral jets can be seen in the processed image, with many jets splitting into two, three, or even more parts. At least nine individual jets are visible, some quite faint. The main jet extending towards the top left from the nucleus has been constantly active now for a year.

243K
Observer: Alberto Quijano Vodniza
Location: Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
Date: November 9, 1996 - October 11, 1997

Images taken with a ST-6 CCD camera through a 16 inch, F10 reflector.

163K 60K
Observer: Herman Mikuz
Copyright 1997 Herman Mikuz
Location: Crni Vrh Observatory, Slovenia
Date: February 4, 1997 04:39 UT

Wide-field images of comet Hale-Bopp, taken with 2.8/180mm lens, CCD and H2O+ narrow-band filter, centered at 620nm (FWHM=10nm). The frame field of view is 3.8x2.5 deg. North is at the top, East to the left.

40K 11K
Observers: Francois Colas, Jean Lecacheux
Location: Pic du Midi Observatory, France
Date: February 4, 1997 06:00 UT

All images taken on the 105 cm telescope.

66K 11K
Observer: Stephane Potvin
Location: St-luc Dorchester, Quebec, Canada
Date: February 4, 1997 09:14 UT

This is a 60 seconds exposure with a Camera SBIG ST7 ccd image, taken at prime focus of a 150 mm f 5 Astro-physic refractor telescope. Image has been flat fielded and log scaled, sharpen.

59K 5K

74K 8K
Observers: Alberto Quijano Vodniza, Jose Alonso
Location: Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
Date: February 4, 1997 09:32:01, 09:49:26 UT

55K 26K
Observer: Peter Nelson
Location: Groton, Massachusetts
Date: February 4, 1997 10:15 UT

Sigma 400mm lens, Kodak Royal Gold 1000, 2 minute exposure.

5K 4K
Observers: Jesse Anderson, Bob Aslanian, Ed Frederick
Location: New England Science Center, Worcester, Massachussetts
Date: February 4, 1997 10:32 UT

Image taken with a ST-6 CCD camera. 2 Second Exposure through a 7" f/9 Meade refractor In the constellation Sagitta, 2 deg East of M71 The sky was cloudless. There was some haze; somewhat noticeable at the 21.4 deg altitude of the comet. The Moon with 14% illumination was 44 deg away and thus not a factor. Earth-comet distance is 1.94 AU.

117K 38K
Observer: Serge Lavoie
Location: St-Louis de France, Quebec, Canada
Date: February 4, 1997 10:45 UT

Image taken with a lens of 72mm diameter f3.2, with a Kodak film, 400 a.s.a.

83K 46K
Copyright John E Cordiale 1997
Observer: John Cordiale
Location: Queensbury, New York
Date: February 4, 1997 11:00 UT

Image taken with a Takahashi 65 mm 500 mm FL Flourite refractor and Fuji 800 speed film for a 10 minute exposure.

69K 19K
Observer: Dale Ireland
Location: Silverdale, Washington
Date: February 4, 1997 13:30 UT

500mm FL f/4, 2min, ASA 1600.

130K 57K
Observer: H. Fukushima
Location: National Astronomy Observatory, Japan
Date: February 4, 1997 20:55 UT

Sketch drawn by H. Fukushima.

78K 9K

78K 9K
Observers: Alberto Quijano Vodniza, Jose Alonso
Location: Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
Date: February 5, 1997 09:40:39 - 10:05:47 UT

First image was taken with a ST-6 CCD camera through a 5 inch, F10 reflector. 15 sec exposure. The field of view is 23.1 X 17.4 arc min. The image is unprocessed. Second image was taken with a ST-6 CCD camera through a 5 inch, F10 reflector. 30 sec exposure. Rico ( lat 18 N, long 67 W ). The image is unprocessed. Third image was taken with a ST-6 CCD camera through a 5 inch, F10 reflector. 15 sec exposure. The field of view is 23.1 X 17.4 arc min. The image is unprocessed. Fourth image was taken with a ST-6 CCD camera through a 16 inch, F10 reflector. .60 sec exposure. The field of view is 7.3 X 5.5 . The image is unprocessed.

195K 138K
Observers: Alessandro Dimai, Davide Ghirardo
Location: Col Druscie Observatory, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
Date: February 6, 1997

Image of the comet Hale Bopp taken with a Takahashi 102 mm f/6, exp. 8', and Kodak Express Gold 400 II hyper. The comet was of magnitude 1.7 with an ion tail of ~5 deg. naked eye visible and a diffuse dust tail of ~2 deg. The Deep Sky Object near Hale Bopp in the globular cluster M 71 in Sagitta.

220K 60K
Observer: Josep Trigo
Location: Benicassim (Castellon), Spain
Date: February 6, 1997 05:19-05:41 UT

Digitalized images taken with a (T) 173/1050 mm in focus.

51K 4K

82K 13K
Observers: Alberto Quijano Vodniza, Jose Alonso
Location: Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
Date: February 6, 1997 09:39:09, 09:53:56 UT

First image was taken with a ST-6 CCD camera through a 5 inch, F10 reflector. 30 sec exposure. The field of view is 23.1 X 17.4 arc min. The image is unprocessed. Second image was taken with a ST-6 CCD camera through a 16 inch, F10 reflector. .70 sec exposure. The field of view is 7.3 X 5.5 . The image is unprocessed.

227K 97K
Observer: Richard Didick
Location: Taunton, Massachusetts
Date: February 6, 1997 10:00 UT

These two photos taken with a Pentax - 135mm + 2x doubler - 800 asa - 4 minutes each. (2.8 x 2) They were taken about 2 minutes apart.

238K 72K
Observer: Bob Yen
Location: Mojave Desert, California
Date: February 6, 1997 11:37 UT

This is a telephoto shot, using a 6x7 camera & 300mm/4 lens (the same field of an 150mm lens, 35mm format). The gas tail nearly reaches top of frame, I measure at least 8 degress. Note the deep-sky objects M27 (planetary nebula) and M71 (open cluster), the latter which is "superimposed" over the comet's coma. Also note that NGC 6820 is a faint red nebula, and NGC6830 is an open cluster.

26K

10K
Observer: Mack Frost
Location: Eagle Pass, Cody, Wyoming
Date: February 6, 1997 12:30, 13:10 UT

Fuji 400 Super G Plus film. The wider of the two photos shows Hale-Bopp just within the confines of the Summer Triangle, with the Northern Reaches of the Milky Way galaxy showing dimly in the background. This shot was taken with a 35mm lens set at f2.8, exposed for ten minutes. The other photo centers on the constellation Cygnus, with H-B in the lower right corner. It was taken as dawn was starting to color the sky, using a 50mm lens set at f2.8 and exposed for four minutes.

108K 24K
Observer: Dale Ireland
Location: Silverdale, Washington
Date: February 6, 1997 13:45 UT

Image taken with 500mm fl f/4 lens, fuji 800, 2 minute exposure.

If you would like to submit a new image to this home page, contact:
Ron Baalke
ron@jpl.nasa.gov