Fifteen years ago on this day, the comet Hale-Bopp made its closest approach to Earth, at a distance of 1.315 AU (1 AU = 93 million miles). The comet had been discovered independently by two amateur ...

Today, most comets are found by robots. Wherever you are reading this, whatever time of the day or night it is, the unblinking electronic eyes of automated surveys like ATLAS or Pan-STARRS will be ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. On March 22, 1997, a super bright comet by the name of Hale-Bopp made its closest approach to Earth. [‘On This Day in Space’ Video ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: NASA Comets — those ...

James is a published author with multiple pop-history and science books to his name. He specializes in history, space, strange science, and anything out of the ordinary.View full profile James is a ...

On March 22, 1997, a super bright comet by the name of Hale-Bopp made its closest approach to Earth. [‘On This Day in Space’ Video Series on Space.com] It was bright enough for people to see without ...

"Hale-Bopp has been a favorite of comet studies in part because it was one of the brightest comets seen." When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how ...

Comets — those small, icy objects orbiting the sun — act like floating time capsules, offering a window into the early days of our solar system's formation and holding clues about the origins of life ...