2002 Mar 16.125 UT: m1=3.7, DC= 8, Tail: ~3.5 deg. 80 mm f/5 R, Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California/USA) [Bobrovnikoff method used]

2002 Mar 17.125 UT: m1=3.6, DC= 8, Tail: ~4 deg. 80 mm f/5 R, Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California/USA) [Bobrovnikoff method used. Comet easily seen with the naked eye]
 

1997 Jan. 30.55 UT, DC=8, m1= 2.4, tail=2.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) And easy naked eye object this morning. This is the best view of HB that I have had yet! The coma is very compact and the tail seems to fan out a bit. There is a slight anti-tail visible as well.

1997 Jan. 31.56 UT, DC=7.5, m1= 2.3, tail=2.5 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) The tail looks slightly broad and fan shaped, a little longer than yesterday. The coma as well brighter and slightly larger.

1997 Feb. 3.55 UT, DC=7.0, m1= 2.0, tail=3.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) The coma is beginning to appear slightly more diffuse, and the tail looks longer. Very nice and an easy Naked eye object.

1997 Feb. 4.56 UT, DC=7.0, m1= 2.0, tail=3.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) An easy naked eye object. The tail is easily seen with the naked eye, slightly fan shaped. Through binoculars it is about 3 degrees in length. The coma is appearing slightly more diffuse.

1997 Feb. 5.54 UT, DC=7.0, m1= 2.2, tail=2.5 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) An easy naked eye object.

1997 Feb. 6.55 UT,DC=8.0, m1= 2.0, tail=4.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) The coma looked more stellar like this morning. The tail is very broad and extends almost 3/4 through the field in 7x50 binoculars! Very beautiful.

Gary Goodman 76012.3675@CompuServe.COM Feb. 6, 1997 5:00 to 5:45 AM, Visual observations through binoculars and short view in dawn sky through scope.M1=2.7 (Morris method), DC=7, 7X50 Binoc, and 10 cm refrac. Tail had broad fan. Coma bright with very bright condensed, non-stellar nucleus. Seeing was only a 3 or 4, so details were not observable.

1997 Feb. 7.50 UT,DC=8.0, m1= 1.8, tail=4.5 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California)

1997 Feb. 9.55 UT,DC=8.0, m1= 1.8, tail=4.5 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) Tail appears very broad, fanning out from the coma. An easy naked eye object.

Gary Goodman reports Hale-Bopp observatin on 12 Feb. 1997, 05:15 PST from Templin Hwy. Insturments: 7X50B and 10 cm f/5 refractor at 25X to 179X Transparency: 5 Seeing: 2 Coma: Diam.~15', m1=1.5 ( < Deneb ), DC=7, Parabolic hood Tail: Len.~2.5 deg. at PA 45 deg., Tail appears divided longitudinally Nucleus: Very bright, extended N-S with bright fan jet at PA 290 deg.

1997 Feb. 13.55 UT,DC=8.0, m1= 1.1, tail=4. degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) Tail appears very broad, fanning out from the coma. Walked outside this morning and HB was very easy to see, the tail was visable with the Naked eye.

Feb. 14, 1997 13:00 UT, Tranparency: 4.3, Seeing:2, Coma Diam=15', m1=1.5, DC=7, Tail~2 deg, PA=310 deg for ion tail, PA=290 deg for dust tail, Bright fan jet at PA=220 deg, 7X50B and 10 cm refractor at 42X and 70X. Gary Goodman, Camarillo, CA. SW side of coma (jet side) very much brighter than NE side.

1997 Feb. 19.55 UT, DC=7.0, m1= 0.8, tail=5.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) Ion Tail appears to be ~ 5 degrees long and the dust tail is very broad, fanning out from the coma ~3-4 degrees long. The Ion tail was very easy to see with the naked eye.

1997 Feb. 20, 13:00 UT, m1=1.2 (=Deneb), naked eye...Gary Goodman (Camarillo, CA) The tail was very easy to see.

1997 Feb. 21.55 UT, DC=7.0, m1= 1.0, tail=5.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) The dust tail seems more pronounced this morning, brighter and longer, ~5 degrees.

1997 Feb. 25.55 UT, DC=7.0, m1= 0.7, tail=7.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) WOW! After not seeing Hale-Bopp for a few days, I really notice a change in brightness and appearance. It is brighter, a lot brighter. As I walked outside this morning and looked up, it was one of the brightest objects in the sky. Through binoculars, the tail stretched through the entire field of view (5.6 degrees)

1997 Mar. 2.55 UT, DC=7.5, m1= 0.5, tail=10.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) From Simi Valley, with street lights, the tail is easily visible and at least 4 degrees long. Through 7x50 binoculars a real beautiful comet. Nice gas tail and the coma is very bright.

1997 Mar. 4.52 UT, DC=7.5, m1= 0.5, tail=8.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California)

1997 Mar. 8.52 UT, DC=9.0, m1= 0.2, tail=~10.0 degree, 90mm R, 75x, ...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) First time viewing HB through a telescope, very surprised with the detail visible within the coma. The nucleus is very sharp, starlike. The tail streams sunward then loops back very rapidly to the right. Very much like a hood. Very beautiful through a telescope. I tried higher magnifications but the detail was lost.

1997 Mar. 8.53 UT, DC=9, m1= 0.2, tail=~10.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) Observing from the parking structure very bright light, however the tail is easily observed to stretch to 10 degrees through the binoculars. The coma is very sharp and well defined.

1997 Mar. 8.53 UT, DC=9, m1= 0.2, tail=~3.0 degree, NE...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) Easy naked eye object. One of the brightest objects in the night sky, the tail is easily visible.

1997 Mar. 9.47 UT, DC=9.0, m1= 0.2, tail=~10.0 degree, 90mm R, 75x, ...Tim Robertson (Templin Highway, California) Nice view through the telescope, a lot of detail visible within the coma, the hood is VERY pronounced.

1997 Mar. 9.47 UT, DC=9, m1= 0.1, tail=~14.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Templin Highway, California) Observing from this dark sky site was very interesting. The Ion tail which I had not seen in a while from Simi Valley was very easily observed, it stretched out from the left side of the coma to over 14 degrees in length. I lost the Ion tail within the Milky Way. The Dust tail was shorter, about 10 degrees in length and slightly fanned out. A very pretty comet, starting to resemble Comet West in 1976! (See the photo at the top of this page!)

1997 Mar. 9.49 UT, DC=9, m1= 0.2, tail=~5.0 degree, NE...Tim Robertson (Templin Highway, California) Easy naked eye object. The tail melts into the Milky Way. Very bright nucleus.

1997 Mar. 11.55 UT, DC=9, m1= 0.0, tail=~12.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) Beautiful comet, the Ion tail is very pronounced and the nucelus is almost stellar in binoculars.

1997 Mar. 13.55 UT, DC=9, m1= -0.2, tail=~12.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) Looking brighter the the tail is a little bit longer than the last observation.

1997 Mar. 25.12 UT, DC=9, m1= -0.4, tail=~10.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) This is the first CLEAR night for evening observing of Hale-Bopp and WHAT a view!! The tail is very pronounced and beautiful.

1997 Mar. 25.12 UT, DC=9, m1= -0.4, tail=~10.0 degree, NE...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) So easy to see, even my 19 month old neighbor Matthew Weber was able to see it, "HalBeep"!!

1997 Mar. 25.13 UT, DC=9, m1= -0.4, tail=~8.0 degree, 90mmR...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) At 75x, what a view of the nucleus, the rotation bands are amazing. I have seen onver 30 comets in my lifetime but NEVER have I seen this type of detail in the head of any comet! I took some eyepiece projection photos tonight to try to capture the halos.

1997 Mar. 26.14 UT, DC=9, m1= -0.4, tail=~15.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Templin Highway, California) From a dark site, this is such a beautiful comet. I cannot see a Ion tail this evening, only a broad dust tail. Very pretty.

1997 Mar. 26.14 UT, DC=9, m1= -0.4, tail=~10.0 degree, NE...Tim Robertson (Templin Highway, California) Easy naked eye, the tail seems to stretch over 10 degrees long, only a dust tail is visible.

1997 Mar. 30.12 UT, DC=9, m1= -0.3, tail=~15.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Mt. Pinos, California) This is the best night so far!!! Mt. Pinos showed off the comet beautifully!! Possibly 2 Ion tails!

1997 Apr. 6.12 UT, DC=9, m1= -0.3, tail=~10.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Templin Highway) Very overcast tonight fromTemplin, but the comet is shining through the haze... still very bright and beautiful.

1997 Apr. 7.14 UT, DC=9, m1= -0.3, tail=~10.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) The Dust tail appears to have grown, much broader and longer. No sight of the Ion tail from Simi tonight.

1997 April 12.14 UT, DC=9, m1= -0.7, tail=~12.0 degree, 7x50B...Tim Robertson (Simi Valley, California) Brighter... bigger... WOW! This thing is amazing... what a beautiful comet.