Comet C/1995 O1 (HALE-BOPP)

1997: Oct. 27.62: m1 = 6.4 (+/-0.1) Dia. 9', DC = 5, 7x50 B, Honolu. (HI) Oct. 26.60: Tail 15' PA= 300 42x256 L, Koko-H. (HI) Oct. 30.64: m1 = 6.6 (+/-0.1) Dia. 7' DC = 6, 7x50 B, Honolu. (HI) Nov. 01.61: m1 = 6.6 (+/-0.1) Dia. 6' DC = 6, 7x50 B, Honolu. (HI) Nov. 03.63: m1 = 6.6 (+/-0.2) Dia. 7' DC = 5, 7x50 B, Honolu. (HI) Nov. 08.63: m1 = 6.5 (+/-0.1) Dia. 12' DC = 5, 7x50 B, Koko-H. (HI) Nov. 23.56: m1 = 6.8 (+/-0.3) Dia. 5' DC = 5, 7x50 B, Silva (HI) Nov. 29.56: m1 = 6.9 (+/-0.1) Dia. 10' DC = 5, 7x50 B, Koko-H. (HI) Dec. 05.53: m1 = 7.0 (+/-0.1) Dia. 7' DC = 5, 7x50 B, Koko-H. (HI) Dec. 06.54: m1 = 7.1 (+/-0.1) Dia. 8' DC = 5, 7x50 B, Koko-H. (HI) Dec. 06.55: Tail 30' PA 340 7x50 B ( 35' PA 335 42x256 L), Koko-H. (HI) Dec. 08.54: m1 = 7.1 (+/-0.1) Dia. 7' DC = 5, 7x50 B, Koko-H. (HI) Dec. 08.55: Tail 25' PA 340 42x256 L, Koko-H. (HI) Dec. 22.45: m1 = 7.8:(+/-0.4) Dia. 4' DC = 5, 42x256 L, Koko-H. (HI) Dec. 24.45: m1 = 7.8:(+/-0.3) Dia. 5' DC = 4, 42x256 L, Koko-H. (HI) Dec. 24.45: m1 = 7.7:(+/-0.3) Dia. 5' DC = 4, 7x50 B, Koko-H. (HI) Dec. 25.44: m1 = 7.6 (+/-0.2) Dia. 7' DC = 4, 7x50 B, Koko-H. (HI) Dec. 25.44: m1 = 7.9 (+/-0.1), Tail 15' PA 350 42x256 L, Koko-H. (HI)
1998: Jan. 19.38: m1 = 7.7 (+/-0.1) Dia. 5' DC = 4, 20x80 B, Koko-H. (HI) Jan. 22.36: m1 = 7.8 (+/-0.2) Dia. 3' DC = 6, 42x256 L, Koko-H. (HI) Feb. 14.26: m1 = 8.2 (+/-0.1) Dia. 3' DC = 6, 42x256 L, Koko-H. (HI) Feb. 15.27: m1 = 8.3 (+/-0.1) Dia. 3' DC = 6, 42x256 L, Koko-H. (HI) Feb. 15.26: m1 = 8.1 (+/-0.1) Dia. 3' DC = 5, 7x50 B, Koko-H. (HI) Feb. 17.25: m1 = 8.3 (+/-0.1) Dia. 4' DC = 5, 7x50 B, Silva (HI) Feb. 18.25: m1 = 8.4 (+/-0.2) Dia. 4' DC = 5, 42x256 L, Koko-H. (HI) Feb. 21.23: m1 = 8.6 (+/-0.1) Dia. 4' DC = 5, 42x256 L, Koko-H. (HI) Feb. 27.23: m1 = 8.7 (+/-0.1) Dia. 4' DC = 5, 42x256 L, Koko-H. (HI) Mar. 02.25: m1 = 8.8 (+/-0.1) Dia. 4' DC = 5, 42x256 L, Koko-H. (HI) Mar. 15.25: m1 = 8.8 (+/-0.1) Dia. 3' DC = 4, 42x256 L, Koko-H. (HI) Mar. 18.26: m1 = 8.9 (+/-0.1) Dia. 3' DC = 4, 42x256 L, Silva (HI) Mar. 20.26: m1 = 9.0 (+/-0.1) Dia. 3' DC = 5, 42x256 L, Koko-H. (HI) Mar. 22.26: m1 = 8.9 (+/-0.1) Dia. 5' DC = 5, 7x50 B, Hale-Pohaku(HI) Mar. 23.25: m1 = 8.9 (+/-0.1) Dia. 4' DC = 5, 7x50 B, Hale-Pohaku(HI) Apr. 21.2-25.2: several unsuccessful attempts to see it: the comet is definitely gone for me... GAME OVER!
On September 28.64 I made a very (unsuccesful) last attempt to see it from Hawaii: it was predicted a little less than 3° high just before dawn... It requires extremely good weather! From Koko-Head, blowhole, I was just able to see stars to magnitude 9.8 very close (20') but the sky was already too bright when clear in the direction of the comet, hence fainter than m1 = 8.5-9.

1999:
Sep. 22.37: m1 = 12.7 (+/-0.2) Dia. 1.3', DC = 5 , 175x280 Sct, LaSilla (Chile)
Sep. 23.19: m1 = 12.4:(+/-0.2) Dia. 1', DC = 4 , 175x280 Sct, LaSilla (Chile)
(Moon light interference)
That was DAY+1513 since my first drawing of Hale-Bopp!!! THE LAST one...!!

Central condensation "m2", at 169x 256L: Oct. 30.62: m2 = 11.6 (+/-0.2) Nov. 01.62: m2 = 11.7 (+/-0.2) Nov. 03.65: m2 = 11.5 (+/-0.4) Nov. 08.61: m2 = 12.5 (+/-0.3) Nov. 29.58: m2 = 11.9 (+/-0.2) Dec. 05.55: m2 = 11.2 (+/-0.2) [Ref. GSC/Tycho catalogs] Dec. 06.53: m2 = 11.9 (+/-0.2) ["] Dec. 08.53: m2 = 11.6 (+/-0.3) ["] Dec. 22.45: m2 = 12.2 (+/-0.3) ["] Dec. 24.45: m2 = 12. (+/-0.4) ["] Dec. 24.45: m2 = 11.9 (+/-0.2) ["] Feb. 14.27: m2 = 12.1 (+/-0.2) ["] Feb. 15.27: m2 = 12.4 (+/-0.2) ["] Feb. 18.25: m2 = 12.7 (+/-0.2) ["] Feb. 21.25: m2 = 12.6 (+/-0.2) ["] Feb. 27.25: m2 = 12.6 (+/-0.2) ["] Mar. 02.26: m2 = 13.1 (+/-0.2) ["] Mar. 18.25: m2 = 13.2 (+/-0.3) ["] Mar. 20.25: m2 = 12.5 (+/-0.2) ["] Seems more obvious than on the 18. Comments:
1997: Slowly fading since several weeks, more condensed for 1-2 weeks, still strong jets in PA 330, 40, 80 (short) and 190-220. Increased central condensation since mid-october. Nov. 29: comet caught between showers and strong gusty winds and in holes in horizon clouds..., but still rather bright, with northern jets and tail (PA 330 to 0). Dec. 05: Strong gusts of wind did not enable fine observations at 169x, but the inner 1.5' is bright as the star-like central condensation, and comet jet-tail is extended to more than 10' PA 340.
Dec. 22.45: rather hard... some clouds and airmass larger than 11.! Even though the comet looks rather similar to early december, with similar jets and tail, bright core. Dec. 24.45: still fighting with distant clouds and airmasses...
Dec. 25.44: Clearing in horizon clouds...: more reliable estimates, though 4.5 deg. alt. (i.e. airmass = 11), about 2 mag. absorption. Jets PA = 0, 30, 70, 280 and 335.
1998: Feb. 15.26: Several jets (PA 350, 10, 35, 85 150) still visible and 20' tail in P.A. 35, also seen in Binoculars. Feb. 27.24: 14' tail in P.A. 55.

Hale-Bopp light curve

(heliocentric magnitude) from 2-Aug.-95 to 23-Mar.-98	(Total magnitude) from 2-Aug.-95 to 23-Mar.-98
[ 106K - mh ] postscript file	[ 105K - m1 ] postscript file

Images:

[171 K] Nov. 08.60: Drawing at 42x (25.6cm L)	[78 K] Dec. 05.56: Drawing at 169x (25.6cm L)
[172 K] Dec. 06.52: Drawing at 84x (25.6cm L)	[80 K] Dec. 06.54: Drawing at 169x (25.6cm L)
[191 K] Dec. 25.44: Drawing at 84x (25.6cm L)	[47 K] Mar. 20.24, 1998: My Last Drawing of Hale-Bopp ! [South up, 84x (25.6cm L)]