Glendale man who discovered Comet Hale-Bopp dies at 68
Jan 10, 2018, 1:24 PM | Updated: 9:33 pm
(NASA and AP Photos)
(NASA and AP Photos)
PHOENIX — A Glendale man who was the first to spot the Comet Hale-Bopp reportedly died this week at the age of 68.
The Washington Post reported that Thomas Bopp died Friday in Phoenix. His daughter said he died of liver failure.
Bopp first saw the comet July 22, 1995, while stargazing with a friend in the desert outside of Phoenix. The asphalt and concrete supply worker saw a fuzzy glow in the constellation Sagittarius and thought he had caught a glimpse of a different galaxy.
What he actually saw was a comet later identified as C/1995 O1 or, more commonly, the Comet Hale-Bopp.
It was named after both Bopp and astronomer Alan Hale, who saw the object just minutes apart.
Hale was able to report his findings to Harvard University — the typical standard for the announcement of new astronomical objects — almost immediately, while Bopp first tried to send a telegram to the university from a truck stop.
He eventually had to send a telegram from his home, days after Hale had reported his own finding.
Bopp enjoyed some time in the limelight after his massive discovery. His spotlight was the brightest in 1997, when the comet came close enough to be seen with the naked eye from Earth.
He was even featured on an episode of the popular show “Bill Nye the Science Guy.”
Though the limelight eventually faded, Bopp continued to speak in the Phoenix area about his discovery. In his later years, he worked as a shuttle driver at a Toyota dealership.
Bopp was born in Colorado and grew up in Ohio. He moved to the Valley in 1980 after serving in the Air Force.
He is survived by a daughter and five siblings.
