It is based on information received directly by email and also from IAU Circulars and on other Hale-Bopp WWW pages. Although Comet Hale-Bopp is now very close to the Sun in the sky, observations continue in some places. They show that the comet continues to be very active.
Several jets are visible on most images.
At the same time, visual observers have noted a relative brightening, following a period of slow increase. This is good news for all prospective observers, but we must still await the development during the next month, before we can be sure. We show here some typical images of Comet Hale-Bopp, obtained after the beginning of November 1996. They show the comet in the light emitted by CN-molecules and in sunlight reflected off the dust particles in the coma. The caption gives interesting information about the different positions of the observed jet-like features.