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| Average distance from the Sun | highly elongated orbit that takes it very close to the Sun and then flings it out into the outer solar system, well past the orbit of Pluto |
| Diameter of Nucleus | 40-80 km |
| Mass | not determined |
| Orbital period around the Sun | 2,392 Earth years |
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| Hale-Bopp has a very large nucleus—most comet nuclei measure only 1.6 to 3.2 km, or 1-2 miles, in diameter. It could be seen in the sky for a record 19 months—from May 1996 to November 1997—and was visible through the bright skies of cities. | |
Our Solar System
Our solar system is located on the edge of a spiral arm called Orion’s Arm, and is one-half to two-thirds of the way (28,000 light-years) from the center of our Milky Way galaxy.The Sun, Sol
The Inner Planets
Mercury
Venus
Earth
The Moon
Mars
The Asteroid Belt
Dwarf planet, Ceres
Asteroid, Ida
Asteroid, Vesta
Asteroid, Eros
The Outer Planets
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
The Kuiper Belt
Dwarf planet, Pluto
Dwarf planet, Eris
The Oort Cloud
Dwarf planet, Sedna
Comet Halley
Comet Hale-Bopp
Glossary of Terms
