In any given year, about a dozen know comets come close to the sun in their orbits. There may also be a dozen or more newly discovered comet. The average person can’t see them all, of course. Usually there are only one or two a year bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. Comet Hale-Bopp, discovered in 1995, was an unusually bright comet. Its orbit brought it relatively close to Earth-within 122 million miles of it. But Hale-Bopp came a long way on its earthly visit. It won’t be back in this vicinity for another four thousand years or so.