Home / Science / Comet Hunter Alan Hale Dies at 68
Comet Hunter Alan Hale Dies at 68
12 Jun
Summary
- Alan Hale discovered the famous Hale-Bopp comet in 1995.
- The comet was named after Hale and Thomas Bopp.
- Hale-Bopp remained visible to the naked eye for 18 months.
Alan Hale, the astronomer who discovered the renowned Hale-Bopp comet, passed away on June 6 at his home in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. He was 68 years old.
Hale discovered the comet on July 23, 1995, from his driveway in Cloudcroft. He noticed a fuzzy object that moved, indicating it was a comet. Thomas Bopp independently observed the same object from Arizona on the same night.
The comet, officially designated C/1995 O1, was named Hale-Bopp. Astronomers determined it was exceptionally large and bright, measuring 80 miles across. It became visible to the naked eye by May 1996 and remained so for 18 months, even in light-polluted areas.
Hale traveled extensively to discuss his discovery, even joining Vice President Al Gore to view the comet. Hale-Bopp came within approximately 120 million miles of Earth, appearing in the night sky with a visible tail in March 1997.
Hale was born in Japan in 1958 and developed a passion for astronomy early on. He earned a Ph.D. in astronomy from New Mexico State University and founded the Southwest Institute for Space Research. He is survived by his wife, two sons, three grandchildren, and a brother.
