Editing Comet Hale–Bopp (section)

== Early observation ==

Hale–Bopp's orbital position was calculated as 7.2&nbsp;[[astronomical units]] (au) from the Sun, placing it between [[Jupiter]] and [[Saturn]] and by far the greatest distance from Earth at which a comet had been discovered by amateurs.{{r|MPEC_1995-P01|Kidger_1996}} Most comets at this distance are extremely faint, and show no discernible activity, but Hale–Bopp already had an observable [[coma (cometary)|coma]].{{r|IAUC_6187}} A [[precovery]] image taken at the [[UK Schmidt Telescope]] in 1993 was found to show the then-unnoticed comet some 13&nbsp;AU from the Sun,{{r|IAUC_6198}} a distance at which most comets are essentially unobservable. ([[Comet Halley|Halley's Comet]] was more than 100 times fainter at the same distance from the Sun.){{r|Biver_1996}} Analysis indicated later that its [[comet nucleus]] was {{val|60|20}} kilometres in diameter, approximately six times the size of [[Halley's Comet]].{{r|jpl1|Fernandez_2002}}

Its great distance and surprising activity indicated that comet Hale–Bopp might become very bright when it reached [[perihelion]] in 1997. However, comet scientists were wary – comets can be extremely unpredictable, and many have large outbursts at great distances only to diminish in brightness later. [[Comet Kohoutek]] in 1973 had been touted as a "comet of the century" and turned out to be unspectacular.{{r|Time-19970317}}