3-25-97

Contact: For more information on the public viewing at Stroud's Run State Park, call the Department of Physics and Astronomy at 614-593-1718.
Attention Editors, reporters: For more information on Comet Hale-Bopp, contact Joe Shields, 614-593-0336, or Tom Statler, 614-593-1722

ATHENS, Ohio -- Two years ago, two stargazers -- one stationed in the driveway of his New Mexico home and the other on an astronomy outing in an Arizona desert -- focused their telescopes on a fuzzy object in the sky. That blurred celestial vision garnished the men a place in history: They had identified a new comet.

Since that July evening in 1995, comet Hale-Bopp -- named after its finders Alan Hale and Tom Bopp -- has been visible to even amateur astronomy buffs. Scientists in Ohio University's Department of Physics and Astronomy have been tracking the progress of Comet Hale-Bopp, whose subtly colored tail can be seen without the aid of a telescope.

By the first of April, the comet, swinging around the sun at over 98,000 miles per hour, will pass within 122 million miles of Earth, which will make for excellent viewing conditions, said Tom Statler, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at the university. The department will host two nights of public viewing of the comet from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. April 1 and 2 at the beach and boat ramp parking lot at Stroud's Run State Park, northeast of Athens on County Road 20.

"Hale-Bopp is four times the size of Halley's comet, and is one of the brightest ever seen," Statler said. "In 1996, Comet Hyakutake gave us the most spectacular views of a comet in 20 years. Comet Hale-Bopp could be even better."

Comet Hale-Bopp last crossed the night skies more than 4,000 years ago, around 2213 B.C. It's one of an estimated 100 billion comets in space, each as old as the sun and planets in our solar system. Astronomers have much to learn from these cosmic time capsules, which may contain information about the evolution of our solar system.

"Comets are believed to be fossil remnants from the formation of our solar system," said Joe Shields, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Ohio University. "By looking at comets like Hale-Bopp we can learn about the dense cloud that provided the raw materials for the planets we see today."

Because of the spin of the Earth, comets appear to rise and set, like the Sun and other stars. Astronomers can predict those times so stargazers can see the comet for themselves. During the end of March and the first few weeks of April, Comet Hale-Bopp will be visible in the northwest sky after sunset, gradually revealed by the growing darkness. It will set below the northwest horizon two to four hours later.

For the public viewings on April 1 and 2, when the comet will be at its brightest, the best viewing times will be shortly after 8 p.m., Statler said, adding that telescopes and binoculars will be available, courtesy of the physics and astronomy department.

"We are lucky to live in a region largely unpolluted by the glare of city lights, so it's only a small effort for us to take a short drive out of town to see the comet," Statler said.