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FastWalkingShortGuy t1_jdt377d wrote

The 90s were wild for skywatchers.

Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake back-to-back completely ruined my expectations for all future comets.

Add to that the observation of Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacting Jupiter in 1994, and it seemed like these spectacular comet events were the norm rather than one-in-a-lifetime experiences.

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charliehustles t1_jdtsoks wrote

They actually make me feel optimistic for the future. I was a young teen when they came through and vividly remember them. They were amazing and definitely lit a spark in me and my love for astronomy.

While the schedule of known comets close to the grandeur of those two might be light for the next century, I still have faith that we’ll get another surprise great one. Hale Bopp was spotted about 2 years before arrival and Hyakutake came blazing in only 2 months after being spotted. If anything they demonstrated that big guys can just show up from nowhere.

Worst case I’ll hopefully live to 80ish and see Haileys, which of course I’m still sour about, because it last visited when I was a toddler. Too young to remember.

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jackp0t789 t1_jdv9l52 wrote

>While the schedule of known comets close to the grandeur of those two might be light for the next century, I still have faith that we’ll get another surprise great one.

Well, this one may have some potential, but like many newly discovered incoming comets, it may end up being another dud or burn up when it gets closer to the sun.

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RiskilyLearn664 t1_jdszgep wrote

I can not separate the comet from the cult.I still remember seeing that footage on the news.

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structee t1_jdtz271 wrote

Their website is still up. heavensgate.com. Worth a visit if only to see the 90s web style.

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Man0fGreenGables t1_jduevfd wrote

That’s wild. How is that site still going?

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DNA_ligase t1_jdurqfj wrote

Iirc, two of the group members were specifically chosen to remain alive to run the website, Mark and Sarah King. They're apparently old now, so who knows if they've chosen successors to keep it running after they are gone.

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Man0fGreenGables t1_jduwiwy wrote

That’s so creepy. I wonder if they are waiting for them to return with the space ship for them.

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penster1 t1_jdtvgvq wrote

First thing I thought of too. That weird looking cult leader and all his suicide victims

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bciesil t1_jdtyupp wrote

If you look close, you can just about make out the spaceship in the tail...

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rluzz001 t1_jdt1dyo wrote

That comet is one of the most memorable things in my life. I think about it pretty often.

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OptimusSublime t1_jdt2drg wrote

Up until I saw totality from the great American solar eclipse I agree. Still up there though.

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rluzz001 t1_jdt2tsp wrote

I only got far enough south for near totality that year. I’m planning on making a trip for the next one. Just praying for good weather.

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nyvanc t1_jdtlw8x wrote

there's a HUGE difference between 99% and 100%. I completely suggest finding a spot with 100% totality.

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noxii3101 t1_jdt6bac wrote

I always had it in my head that comets streaked by quickly. Hale-Bopp was clearly visible for months. I remember playing street hockey at a local church parking lot in the spring of 97 with that hanging in the night sky.. wild.

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FastWalkingShortGuy t1_jdtkdi9 wrote

A significant portion of my bike-riding-home-when-the-streetlights-came-on days were spent with a giant comet overhead.

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kayak_enjoyer t1_jdtyytj wrote

There was some comet recently where I took my kids and a few friends out to a high, dark spot. We spotted it, with our naked eyes!!

"Is it going fast?" my youngest child asked.

Hella fast. Screaming. Everything is always moving, but it's so far away it appears to be standing still.

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tnakahara t1_jdt4ei4 wrote

I really hope C/2023 A3- Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is at least this bright. Green Comet was a bit of a letdown.

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Sassy-irish-lassy t1_jdt8ji8 wrote

I remember watching this. All i wanted to do was sit outside at night and stare at it for as long as it was still in the sky. I would have been about 5 at the time.

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Best-Two4264 t1_jdt2kw7 wrote

Yep there’s an alien craft behind the comet. That they hitched a ride on. Well according to them.

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kayak_enjoyer t1_jdtyb0p wrote

I remember comet Hale-Bopp. I've always been looking up at the night sky, but one day in 1997 I was playing an open mic at a shitty dive bar. I stepped outside deliberately to see if I could see it - in town and all - and there it was.

Magic. I remember. ❤️

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Rocketmonkey66 t1_jdtd3mf wrote

I remember driving on the highway with my kids. We could see it though the windows under streetlights. It was REALLY bright. I'm old enough to remember 'seeing' Halley's comet. My dad woke me up to go out in the yard to see a once-in-a-lifetime-event. Probably the biggest disappointment of my life. A VERY faint blob with no visible tail.

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Dinindalael t1_jdtvcpo wrote

I remember Hale-Bopp. It was so cool. I wish i had enjoyed it more at the time. Didnt realise that once gone, id never get to see it again.

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rededelk t1_jdudnec wrote

I was driving home from work to my ranch in the boonies, it (appeared) it was coming straight at me,I thought it was a Jumbo looking to land in my pasture. We didn't have much for internet back then even in town but I soon learned. Was quite cool viewing

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Serytr0 t1_jdug0cp wrote

I remember being 7 at the time and I'd wake up super early every day for months to stare it.

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Worker11811Georgy t1_jdujkjc wrote

My friends and I ran an event monthly in NYC when this comet went by. Before the event started we stood outside the venue and chanted, “Hail, bop!” Over and over for a couple minutes.

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madlabdog t1_jdujyfj wrote

The comet that made me fall in love with astronomy.

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nssalee t1_jdumy97 wrote

i remember this one, i was about 8-9 yrs old and i still remember how excited i was. until this day this might be the best wonder that ive seen with bare eyes, oddly most of the people cant remember this when asked

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GryphonGuitar t1_jduu7db wrote

I remember being a part of a student project to measure light intensity variance in this with an application called Astrometrica, as part of a project called Hands on Universe. We were really worried about being able to gain access to a digital camera in order to be able to take photos we could manipulate digitally.

How times have changed.

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ravenousld3341 t1_jdw0pnv wrote

I'll never forget seeing this as a kid. Imagine wrapping up Final Fantasy VII then walking outside to see this. Kinda made me want to have someone check on the northern crater.

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Gorbunkov t1_jdu7dxq wrote

I remember the tail extending upwards somewhy

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truethatson t1_jdv3ert wrote

I have only a vague memory of this comet (I was 11) Now, 25 years later and we haven’t had s***. Every year I wonder, will this be the year we get another awesome comet flyby?

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hooptyboots18 t1_jdxcamt wrote

That’s the one that all of those people ate poison pudding and died so they could get on the comet and fly home.

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