The Orbit of Hale-Bopp Comet, Discovered in 1995 , Is $0.995$

question 140

Short Answer

The orbit of Hale-Bopp comet, discovered in 1995 , is an ellipse with eccentricity $0.995$ and one focus at the Sun. The length of its major axis is $366.5 \mathrm { AU }$ . [An astronomical unit (AU) is the mean distance between Earth and the Sun, about 93 million miles.] Find the maximum distance from the comet to the Sun. (The perihelion distance from a planet to the Sun is $a ( 1 - e )$ and the aphelion distance is $a ( 1 + e )$ .) Find the answer in $\mathrm { AU }$ and round to the nearest hundredth.

---

Definitions:

Evolutionary Process

The natural phenomenon by which biological organisms change over time through changes in genetic composition and inherited traits.

Socialization

The process by which individuals learn and internalize the norms, values, behaviors, and social skills appropriate to their society.

Self-fulfilling Prophecy

A situation where a belief or expectation, whether correct or false, affects a person's behavior in such a way that it contributes to the belief becoming true.

Continuous Connectivity

The state of being constantly connected to the internet or communication networks, often via smartphones or other digital devices.