MadSci Network: Astronomy
Query:

Re: What happened to comet Hyakutake?

Area: Astronomy
Posted By: Gary Bachman, Grad Student Horticulture-Plant Physiology, Ohio State University.
Date: Sun Jan 19 14:12:21 1997
Message:

Comet Hyakutake right at this moment is streaking towards the outer reaches of our solar system. It will remain on the outskirts of the solar system in the Oort Cloud for the next 14,000 years, give or take a few decades, until it visits us again.

The Oort Cloud is a doughnut shaped region of debris and is thought to be the birthplace of comets. There is more information on the the Oort Cloud at the following site: Oort Cloud

There is an abundant amount of information about the Hyakutake comet at the Jet Propulsion Laboratories: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/comet/hyakutake/ The image shown was taken of Comet Hyakutake by Herman Mikuz at the Crni Vrh Observatory in Slovenia.

Comet Image


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