Hale-Bopp above again

Hale-Bopp above again

BANDUNG: Bandung-based Boscha Observatory has not yet seen the
Hale-Bopp commet but a South Kalimantan man claims to have seen
it with the naked eye.

The man, Iriano, telephoned Prof. Bambang Hidayat at the
observatory to say he had seen the commet at 7:15 p.m. local time
Sunday, Antara reported Monday.

Iriano said the commet could be seen in the northwest after
sunset when the weather was bright.

"I am waiting for more information from Irianto. His claim may
be right," Bambamng said.

Observatory researchers, Bambang, Moedji Raharto and Mochamad
Irfan, a Bandung Institute of Technology astronomy student filmed
the commet when it appeared in August 1995 and October 1996.

They calculated then that it would appear again between the
last week of March and the end of June 1997. But the weather near
the observatory has been cloudy lately.

The Hale-Bopp commet was first seen by two Americans -- Alan
Hale and Thomas Bopp -- on July 23, 1995 in New Mexico and in the
Arizona desert. (sur)