DETECTION OF SOFT X-RAYS AND A SENSITIVE SEARCH FOR NOBLE-GASES IN COMET HALE-BOPP (C 1995 O1)/

An image of comet Hale-Bopp (C/1995 O1) in soft x-rays reveals a centr al emission offset from the nucleus, as well as an extended emission f eature that does not correlate with the dust jets seen at optical wave lengths, Neon was found to be depleted in the cometary ice by more tha n a factor of 25 relative to solar abundance, which suggests that ices in Hale-Bopp formed at (or later experienced) temperatures higher tha n 25 kelvin, A helium line emission at a wavelength of 584 angstroms w as detected and may be attributable to charge transfer of solar wind a lpha particles in the cometary coma, Ionized oxygen and another helium line contribute to an emission observed at 538 angstroms.