Comet Hale-Bopp Over Johnson City, Tennessee
Near Carver's Gap, Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee

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Lying on the rug, I strained my neck to look up at the screen. It was another winter night at Grandma and Grandpa's, watching projected Kodachrome slides in their living room. What anticipation I had before his shows! My grandparents were forever curious and explored the United States, and Grandpa would replay scenes of places I had yet to know over and over on that silver screen. Longing filled me, even at ten, to wander, to see, and to fill my soul with the incredible, intricate detail of what lay before me.

Years later, another night, and I’m awestruck by another show. The excitement had been building all through March as Comet Hale-Bopp graced the skies overhead. I remember the hype and speculation leading up to the comet, about whether it would be a flop like Haley’s Comet was in 1986. Far from it, Hale-Bopp was bright and had its own style, with an unusual tufted blue blaze streaming away from its head. I remember traveling during those March and April evenings; I would spot the comet all the time, usually out of the corner of my eye.

When Hale-Bopp reached Perihelion (closest to the sun) on April 1 and neared its highest point in the evening sky, I began to get antsy (the way photographers do as they worry over missed photo-ops). I'd imagined an image of the comet hung at dusk over a panorama of east Tennessee a few days before; the combined elements of city lights, afterglow, and comet were irresistible. Two days later, I kissed my wife, put the camera gear in the truck, and headed for the Roan.

The ascent on Highway 143 was a blur as I monitored the setting sun, eager to reach the best vista before nightfall. Just in time, I arrived at an overlook near Carver's Gap. Once camera and tripod were set, I stood in the falling dark alone, shivering joyously and counting the seconds for exposure after exposure. My prayer that night was, “Lord, Inventor of comets and stars, Your creation still surprises and delights us! Amen.”

(Photo taken on April 3, 1997.)