Hale-Bopp's Fickle Ion Tail
What's happening to Comet Hale-Bopp's blue ion tail? The comet's ion tail is fluctuating more rapidly as it passes a region of changing solar wind . As the comet passes from north to south, it crosses the plane of the Sun 's equator, where the solar magnetic field changes direction. Ions from the solar wind , which cause Comet Hale-Bopp 's ion tail, act unpredictably here. Therefore, Comet Hale-Bopp's ion tale may show unusual structure or even a disconnection - where the tail appears to break off and then reestablish itself later. The above picture , taken April 30th, indeed shows unusual structure in the blue ion tail.