Figure 15-32: R I V U X G
The Two Tails of Comet Hale-Bopp A comet’s dust tail is white because it reflects sunlight, while the molecules in the ion tail emit their own light with a characteristic blue color. When this picture was taken on March 8, 1997, the ion tail extended more than 10° across the sky. The red object to the right is the North America Nebula, a star-forming region some 1500 light-years beyond the solar system.
The Two Tails of Comet Hale-Bopp A comet’s dust tail is white because it reflects sunlight, while the molecules in the ion tail emit their own light with a characteristic blue color. When this picture was taken on March 8, 1997, the ion tail extended more than 10° across the sky. The red object to the right is the North America Nebula, a star-forming region some 1500 light-years beyond the solar system.
(Tony and Daphne Hallas/Science Source)