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NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

🌌 NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

Seven Jets from Comet Hale-Bopp Credit:

Date: 1996-11-13

Seven Jets from Comet Hale-Bopp
Credit:

View HD Image

Explanation:

Comet Hale-Bopp
is turning out to be quite unusual. One reason is the great amount
of jet activity at such a large distance from the Sun.
In the above false-color image,
no less than seven jets can be seen emanating from Hale-Bopp's
coma. As a comet nears the Sun,
it's surface warms causing jets of
previously trapped gas and dust to stream away from the nucleus.
Astronomers continue to study Comet Hale-Bopp's
unusual jet activity
and wonder how much about the early Solar System Hale-Bopp
will teach them, and how bright Hale-Bopp will ultimately become.