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Comet Hale-Bopp
In 1997, Comet Hale-Bopp became much brighter than any surrounding stars. It was seen even over bright city lights. Out away from city lights, however, it put on quite a spectacular show. Comet Hale-Bopp's blue ion tail is created when fast moving particles from the solar wind strike expelled ions from the comet's nucleus. It points almost directly away from the Sun. The white dust tail is composed particles of dust and ice expelled by the nucleus that orbit behind the comet. It has a more curved shape, caused by in part by radiation pressure of the sunlight and in part by their orbital inertia. Observations showed that Comet Hale-Bopp's nucleus spins about once every 12 hours.