... Credit: T. Polakis Explanation: Two years ago, the Great Comet of 1996 , Comet Hyakutake , inched across our northern sky during its long orbit around the Sun . Visible above as the bright spot with the faint tail near the picture 's center, Comet Hyakutake shares the stage with part of the central band of the Milky Way Galaxy , prominent in the picture's upper right. ... Publications with keywords: comet Hyakutake - Milky Way . Publications with words: comet Hyakutake - Milky Way . ...