Comet Hale-Bopp Inbound . ... Credit Copyright: H. Weaver ( ARC ), NASA Explanation: Headed toward the inner Solar System, the much anticipated Comet Hale-Bopp has promised to put on a big show next spring. ... But because it is now so near the Sun's position in the sky it is a difficult target for large ground based optical telescopes as well as the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope (HST). ... NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers . ... U. Based on Astronomy Picture Of the Day ...