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Close-up of Fragments From Comet Hyakutake

Close-up of Fragments From Comet Hyakutake
This image shows pieces of the nucleus that apparently broke off and were first detected during ground-based observations on March 24. The Hubble image shows at least three separate objects that are probably made up of coarse-grained dust. Large fragments of the nucleus would not be accelerated into the tail, which appears to be the case in this image.
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    Comet Hyakutake
  • Release Date
    March 27, 1996
  • Science Release
    Hubble Probes Inner Region of Comet Hyakutake
    Read the release
  • Credit
    Science Release Credit: H. Weaver (ARC), HST Comet Hyakutake Observing Team and NASA

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Last Updated
Mar 28, 2025
Contact
Media

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

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