Comet Hale-Bopp Develops a Tail . ... U. Ljubljana ) Explanation: Comet Hale-Bopp has quite a tail to tell already. ... In the above picture, the blue stream is the ion tail which consists of ions pushed away from the comet's head by the solar wind . The ion tail always points directly away from the Sun . Comet Hale-Bopp is now visible in the morning sky , moving a few degrees each day. ... NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers . NASA Official: Jay Norris. ...