Thomas Bopp | |
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| Born | October 15, 1949 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Died | January 5, 2018 (aged 68) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Youngstown State University |
| Occupation(s) | Professional speaker, amateur astronomer |
| Known for | Co-discovery of comet Hale–Bopp with Alan Hale |
Thomas Joel Bopp (October 15, 1949 – January 5, 2018) was an American amateur astronomer. In 1995, he discovered comet Hale–Bopp; Alan Hale discovered it independently at almost the same time, and it was thus named after both of them.[1] At the time of the comet discovery he was a manager at a construction materials factory and an amateur astronomer. On the night of July 22, Bopp was observing the sky with friends in the Arizona desert when he made the discovery. It was the first comet he had observed and he was using a borrowed, home-built telescope.[2][3]
- ^ Ramamurthy G. (August 2005). Biographical Dictionary of Great Astronomers, Surah Books (pvt) Ltd., Chennai, ISBN 81-7478-697-X.
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