Tag Archive | Suddenly sunspots pepper the Sun

SPACEWEATHER: Comet Hyakutak Blast from the Past; Sun Suddenly Peppered with Sunspots

A Fuzzy Light Became A Worldwide Sensation

SPACEWEATHER.COM NEWS: 03/27/2026

HAPPY 30TH, COMET HYAKUTAKE: One of the biggest surprises in modern astronomy happened 30 years ago. On Jan. 30, 1996, Japanese amateur astronomer Yuji Hyakutake spotted a faint fuzzball through binoculars. Within weeks, “Comet Hyakutake” became a worldwide sensation as it passed just 0.1 AU from Earth.

Alan Dyer was one of many who photographed it (above) on March 25, 1996–the night of closest approach:

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