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Author
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Topic: Alan Hale, comet co-discoverer (1958-2026)
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 56748
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-13-2026 09:40 AM
   
Alan Hale, who discovered what may be the most-viewed comet in human history — known as Hale-Bopp, after him and Thomas Bopp — died on June 6, 2026 at his home in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. He was 68. After serving in the Navy, he left in 1983 to work at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., where he was an engineering contractor on spacecraft projects, including Voyager 2’s mission to observe Uranus.He went on to pursue graduate studies at New Mexico State University, earning a master’s degree in astronomy in 1989 and a doctorate in 1992. Dr. Hale was briefly the staff astronomer at the Space Center (now the New Mexico Museum of Space History) in Alamogordo. In 1993, he founded the Southwest Institute for Space Research (now the Earthrise Institute), which focused on regional education and research activities. |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 3318
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 06-13-2026 01:52 PM
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SpaceCadet1983
Member Posts: 586
From: Pacific NW, United States
Registered: May 2012
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posted 06-13-2026 04:23 PM
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MartinAir
Member Posts: 518
From:
Registered: Oct 2020
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posted 06-13-2026 04:36 PM
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MCroft04
Member Posts: 1905
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 06-13-2026 08:33 PM
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Jurg Bolli
Member Posts: 1290
From: Albuquerque, NM
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 06-13-2026 10:18 PM
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rjb1elec
Member Posts: 456
From: Merseyside, England
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 06-14-2026 05:53 AM
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David Carey
Member Posts: 1096
From:
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 06-14-2026 12:48 PM
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Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3971
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 06-14-2026 01:49 PM
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mode1charlie
Member Posts: 1542
From: Honolulu, HI
Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 06-14-2026 02:51 PM
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tedc
Member Posts: 255
From: Renton, WA USA
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 06-14-2026 10:09 PM
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bthumble
Member Posts: 337
From: Houston, Texas
Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 06-15-2026 08:31 AM
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Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4687
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 06-15-2026 11:14 AM
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Gilbert
Member Posts: 1544
From: Carrollton, GA USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 06-21-2026 05:07 PM
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SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 5581
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-21-2026 07:49 PM
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dss65
Member Posts: 1433
From: Sandpoint, ID, USA
Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 06-22-2026 11:55 AM
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Kite
Member Posts: 1230
From: Northampton UK
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 06-23-2026 05:36 AM
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gareth89
Member Posts: 764
From: Ireland
Registered: May 2014
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posted 06-23-2026 08:20 AM
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SkyMan1958
Member Posts: 1451
From: CA.
Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 06-23-2026 05:27 PM
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Gtsmithson
Member Posts: 31
From:
Registered: Jun 2018
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posted 06-24-2026 11:02 AM
Deepest sympathies to Alan’s family and friends. |
Gtsmithson
Member Posts: 31
From:
Registered: Jun 2018
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posted 06-24-2026 11:03 AM
Deepest sympathies to Alan’s family and friends. |
astrobock
Member Posts: 274
From: WV, USA
Registered: Sep 2006
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posted 06-24-2026 04:13 PM
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Kevin T. Randall
Member Posts: 1721
From: Chesham, Bucks UK
Registered: Dec 2008
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posted 07-03-2026 11:01 AM
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