In 1995, a brilliant newcomer lit up the night sky. Hale-Bopp, one of the most widely observed comets of the 20th century, was first spotted by amateur astronomers and soon visible to the naked eye for an astonishing 18 months. Unlike Halley’s Comet, which returns roughly every 75 years, Hale-Bopp won’t be back for thousands—and with a nucleus five times larger, its scale was just as impressive.
But fascination soon turned to unease. As the comet approached Earth, a cult known as Heaven’s Gate believed a UFO trailed behind it, and their belief led to a mass suicide in California.
Hale-Bopp was more than just a comet: it was a celestial marvel that lit up the sky, stirred imaginations, and left behind a legacy both awe-inspiring and haunting. Click through the following gallery to explore the full story and its unforgettable impact.